Moonchild
by Llwynog the Bard
Summary: Slightly AU. There's a stranger at Hogwarts this year. Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the Harry Potter franchise. Set in present-day like the films but otherwise as true to the books as possible. Rated T out of uncertainty.
1. Ch 1: Luna

_Hey folks. I realize I'm probably going to stretch myself too thin again with all these stories, but at least I have an idea of where this should go. Before I go on, let me say that Luna will be a bit OOC at times. This is because in my mind, now that the Voldemort fiasco is over people are more willing to engage her in social interaction, and so she's become more like what you and I might consider "normal". I know I did this in the summary, but I'll do it again: I do not own the rights to the Harry Potter franchise. So now, enjoy and please review. I'd appreciate it immensely._**  
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><p><strong>Moonchild<strong>

**Chapter 1**

_Luna_

"Write me when you get there," said Xenophilius Lovegood as Luna boarded the train. Even though Luna was now 17 years old, and should have been in her seventh and final year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the Ministry of Magic, along with the school governors, had decided that all students who had attended Hogwarts during Voldemort's year of controlling the Ministry would repeat their respective year. Luna was a bit irked that she'd have to spend another year in school, but was glad to be learning the things she should have the year before.

"I will, Dad," she said in her floaty way of speaking. "Don't worry." With that, she turned and headed off to find a seat on the Hogwarts Express. At last she reached the back of the train, where she found Harry, Ginny, and Neville waiting for her. Ron, being a prefect, and Hermione, being Head Girl, were already in the prefect's compartment.

"Hey, Luna," said Harry. "Listen, I never got a chance to say sorry for what happened to you and your dad's house."

"It's quite alright," she replied dreamily. "I knew it was only a matter of time before that happened anyway, what with Dad's Erumpent horn and all."

"Wait," said Ginny. "Harry said you and your dad insisted it was Crumple-Horned Whatever's horn."

"Dad did," said Luna, "but I knew better. I could tell by the ridges on the inside of the curve. I tried to tell him over and over but I couldn't convince him."

"So you're saying you don't believe Crumple-Horned Snorkacks exist, then?" Harry said hopefully.

"Oh, no, they exist," Luna affirmed. "That just wasn't a horn from one."

After changing the subject away from imaginary beasts, the four of them spent their time recounting their summers after Voldemort's defeat, playing Exploding Snap, or just enjoying the scenery as the train sped north. After an hour or so, Ron and Hermione found them in their compartment.

"Bloody hell," said Ron as he plopped into the seat next to Harry, "am I glad to be out of there."

"Ron," Hermione chided, "it's not that bad. Anyway, there was boy in the prefect's cabin none of us had ever seen before."

"Who is he?" asked Neville.

"Dunno," said Ron. "Didn't say much of anything, did he?"

"I guess we'll find out tonight at the sorting feast," said Hermione.

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><p>Luna was amazed, but not nearly as vocal as Harry and Ron, at how quickly Hogwarts castle had been rebuilt. It had only been a few months since the Battle of Hogwarts, and already the castle look as though nothing had happened to it. When they reached the Entrance Hall, Luna and her friends said their goodbyes as they made their ways to their respective tables. Finally, at long last, it was time for the Sorting to begin.<p>

After thirty-six new Ravenclaws had found seats at the table, the golden plates magically filled with food. The hall was filled with a cacophony of sound, the sound of talking, laughing, cutlery on plates, and general rowdiness. Finally, after the last bite of pudding had been eaten, the plates cleared and Minerva McGonagall stepped up to the podium to address the students.

"Welcome, everyone, to another year at Hogwarts," she began. "First and foremost, I'd like to welcome all of our new students. I'd also like to welcome two new professors to our staff. As I have taken on the role of Headmistress, I can no longer attend to the position of Transfiguration Professor. Many of you may remember one of our past professors, Remus Lupin, who unfortunately was killed during the Battle of Hogwarts. It took much persuasion, but we were finally able to convince his brother to take up the post. Please help me welcome Professor Romulus Lupin." A great round of applause filled the Hall, and Luna could see why. Romulus Lupin very much resembled his brother, but where Remus always seemed gray and shabby, Romulus appeared full of vigor and very well put-together. He stood, gave a small wave, and sat back down. "Also, I would like to welcome our new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. As a member of the Second Order of the Phoenix, this individual has first-hand experience fighting the dark arts. Please help me welcome Professor Hestia Jones." Another round of applause filled the hall for Professor Jones. "As a reminder," McGonagall continued, "the Forbidden Forest is off-limits to all students, and Mr. Filch has once again asked me to remind you all that all products from Weasley's Wizard Wheezes are banned at Hogwarts. Now, it's late and we have classes in the morning, so I suggest we all make our way to our beds."

As the students clamored out of their seats and towards their respective dormitories, Luna felt a hand on her elbow. She turned to find Hermione nudging her way through the crowd.

"Luna," she said hurriedly, "I don't know if you noticed, but did you see that boy sitting next to Professor Flitwick at the staff table?"

"I thought he was unfamiliar," she said, "but then, I don't know all of the staff here."

"Well," Hermione continued, "that's just it: he's not staff here. That's the boy Ron and I saw in the prefect compartment on the train. I wonder why McGonagall didn't introduce him."

"Hmmm," Luna mused. "I suspect she has her reasons. Well, I'll see you later. You've got Head Girl duty."

As Luna made her way to Ravenclaw Tower, her thoughts wandered to the boy from the staff table. Who was he? Where was he from? What was he doing here? She barely realized she had hit the brass knocker against the door until it snapped at her.

"Where you even listening?"

"Sorry, what?" she said as she snapped out of her daze.

"I said, what goes into the water red and comes out black?"

Luna thought it over for a minute before answering, "A red-hot poker." The door opened to reveal the high-vaulted ceiling and blue carpet and drapes of Ravenclaw Tower.

"That wasn't too tough," Luna mused as she entered the common room.

"It's the first day," the door knocker answered. "Thought I'd make it an easy one first."

"Good choice," said Luna. She made her way up the stairs to the sixth-year girl's dormitory, found her bed, and settled in. As she allowed herself to be carried off into the realm of dreams, her last conscious thoughts lingered on that stranger at the staff table.

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><p><em>AN: In this film, Romulus Lupin will be portrayed by David Wenham._


	2. Ch 2: Luna

_Two chapters in one day, that's pretty exciting for me. Hopefully I'll get another in pretty soon. I hope you all like it so far. Please review, it would mean a lot._**  
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><p><strong>Moonchild<strong>

**Chapter 2**

_Luna_

The next morning, Luna headed down the sloping lawns towards Professor Hagrid's hut for Care of Magical Creatures class. Even though Hagrid wasn't her favorite teacher, it was still her favorite class. When she reached Hagrid's hut, she was surprised, but pleased, to see Ginny Weasley there.

"Ginny," said Luna dreamily, "what're you doing down here?"

"I'm here for Hagrid's class," she said. "You?"

"The same," Luna said, "but it's odd, I thought we were supposed to be with the Hufflepuffs for this class."

"Yes, well," Ginny explained, "Hermione was talking about it in our common room. She said that McGonagall had had a talk with the school governors and they decided that, how did she put it, due to the volatile nature of Hagrid's classes and other attributing factors, I think she said, that it wasn't a good idea to pair the Gryffindors with the Slytherins anymore. So they've paired us with you guys now."

"Well that's good," Luna replied. "It's nice having better friends around."

"Alrigh' folks," Hagrid boomed as he stepped out from the paddock near the edge of the forest. "School governors have revised the curriculum, so I can' show yeh some o' the things I'd like to this year, but I think yeh'll like it all the same. So, if yeh want ter follow me over this way," he gestured towards the paddock, "we can get started." They followed him over to the paddock, and Luna couldn't help but feel a bit relieved to hear about the curriculum reform. Maybe this year would be more like the classes Professor Grubbly-Plank had taught when she'd filled in for Hagrid before.

"Alrigh'," said Hagrid once everyone had reached the paddock. "Now, I'll go an' get 'em, but before I do, I want ter give yer all a bit of advice: what I'm about ter show yeh are proud creatures. They're not too dangerous, but they can give yer a good wallop if yer not careful." Some of the students looked nervous, so Hagrid continued. "Look, they won't hurt you so long as you don' insult 'em. We had a problem with tha' with a hippogriff a few years ago, but I think you lot have got a bit more sense than tha'. Alrigh', well, I'll be back in a minute with 'em." After a moment of nervous chatter, Hagrid returned with several beautiful horses, each around 17.5 hands high, in colors ranging from chestnut, palomino, jet black, and pure snow white. The defining feature, though, was that each of them had an enormous pair of wings just behind the shoulder.

After plenty of "oohs" from most of the girls and some of the boys, Hagrid finally got the class settled down. "Alrigh'," said Hagrid, "I'm sure everyone can, but who can tell me what these are?"

Immediately hands flew into the air. "Alrigh', Miss Weasley, I saw your hand first," said Hagrid.

"They're pegasi," said Ginny.

"Righ', take ten points for Gryffindor," said Hagrid. "Alrigh', so these are pegasi. Who can tell me where pegasi originate from?" This time Luna's hand shot into the air. "Yes, Miss Lovegood?"

"Greece," said Luna. "The myth was that Pegasus was born of the god Poseidon and the gorgon Medusa, and then flew to where thunder and lightning is released. Then Athena tamed him and gave him as a gift to Perseus."

"Very good," said Hagrid. "Ten points to Ravenclaw for givin' the righ' answer, an' another ten for teachin' me somethin' I didn' know."

The rest of the lesson carried on well, and as Luna headed back up to the castle, she was pleased with how the lesson had gone. It wasn't quite like a Grubbly-Plank lesson, but much improved from how Hagrid used to teach. Hagrid had assigned a twelve-inch essay on pegasi due the next day, which Luna thought wasn't too bad. She entered the castle and then set off for classroom 1B, which was the Transfiguration classroom. She was anxious to see how the new Professor Lupin was like. When she reached the classroom, the last class, made of up seventh year Gryffindors, was filing out. She could a faint bit of conversation as the rest of the class was leaving.

"Absolutely, you'll have to come by my office sometime for tea. Send me an owl sometime and we'll work something out." A moment later, Harry, Ron, and Hermione came out of the classroom.

"I guess that was Professor Lupin you were talking to?" she asked.

"Hey, Luna," said Hermione. "Yes, that was him."

"What's he like?" Luna asked.

"He's great," said Harry, "but he's not Remus."

"Well," said Ron, "we'd better shove off. We've got Potions in five minutes."

"Yeah," said Harry. "We'll catch you later, alright?"

"Sure thing," said Luna. She went in and found a seat near the front, and waited for the rest of the sixth year Ravenclaws to file in. Professor Lupin was seated at his desk, binding a stack of parchments together. He was wearing a set of sleek robes of dark green with a silver embroidered lining. He looked up from his parchments when he heard Luna's chair move.

"Ah," he said delightedly, "didn't hear you come in. You must be Luna Lovegood."

"Yes," she said. "How did you know?"

"Just because I wasn't around for the kerfuffle with Voldemort and all that, doesn't mean I didn't keep in touch with Remus. Don't get me wrong, I would've liked to help, but I was a bit more interested in staying alive, honestly."

"I don't guess I can blame you," said Luna, "but at the same time, you could've been a bit nobler like your brother."

"Yes, well," said Professor Lupin, "that's great that he was noble, it really is, but which one of us is alive? Oh, here we are, the rest of us are here. We'll go ahead and get started then." He stood from his chair and addressed the class as a whole. "Hello, everyone. It's good to be back at Hogwarts. My name is Professor Romulus Lupin, as I'm sure you all heard at the Welcoming Feast. Some of you may remember my brother Remus, rest his soul. So, I'll be your new Transfiguration teacher. Hopefully I'll be able to live up to Professor McGonagall. So, let's start off by taking attendance." Lupin took attendance and then proceeded with the lesson. They worked on Vanishing spells, and at the end of the class, Professor Lupin assigned a five paragraph essay to be turned in the next day.

"Before you all leave," Professor Lupin called, "I'd like you all to take a bit of parchment, it doesn't have to be much, and I'd just like you to write your name, house, favorite subject, and some interesting facts about yourselves. When you've done that, leave them on your desks and then you're free to go."

Luna then headed to the Great Hall for lunch, and then went through the rest of her day, which consisted of Potions and Ancient Runes. At the end of the day she headed back to Ravenclaw Tower and set to work on her essays for Professors Hagrid, Lupin, Slughorn, and Babbling. Finally, after several hours, she decided it was time for bed. However, after an hour so of not being able to get to sleep, Luna decided to go downstairs and refill the water jug. Normally that was something the house elves did, but she couldn't sleep and it would give her something to do. She started down the stairs, but stopped short. There in an armchair by the fireplace was the dark-haired stranger from the staff table. She crept back up the stairs before he noticed her.

"What in the world is he doing here?" she said to herself as she got back into bed. "Hopefully tomorrow I can get some answers."


	3. Ch 3: Luna

_I can't believe it, three chapters in one day. That must be a record. This one isn't quite as long as the first two, but it doesn't need to be. I do hope you all are enjoying this story. Review, if you don't mind._**  
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><p><strong>Moonchild<strong>

**Chapter 3**

_Luna_

Luna made her way through the castle the next morning in a more dazed fashion than usual. She was still thinking of that dark-haired stranger sitting in Ravenclaw Tower. Who was he? How had he gotten in? Did he know how to get in? If so, how did he find out? Her mind raced with questions until finally she was at classroom 3C for Defense Against the Dark Arts before she knew it. She found a seat near the middle of the room and waited. Finally, the door to the office at the end of the classroom opened and Hestia Jones emerged from it.

"Alright, folks," she said, "I'll take attendance and then we'll get started." After what seemed like no time, they were packing their books away and copying down instructions for the essay that Professor Jones had assigned. Luna hadn't absorbed anything the whole class, which was very unlike her, because she was still so caught up on wondering who that stranger in the Ravenclaw common room was. She floated through the first half of the day, hardly aware of anything, until finally she arrived at the Great Hall for lunch. There was that dark-haired boy again, but this time he wasn't at the staff table, rather he was seated at the end of the Ravenclaw table. _That's it_, she thought, _I'll just go up to him and find out who he is_. Just as the thought crossed her mind, he got up from the table and headed right in her direction towards the Entrance Hall. For a split second, the pair locked eyes, but he quickly turned his eyes to the floor and hurried past. Luna then went and took a seat with some of her old D.A. friends.

"Do you know who that boy is who just got up from the table?" she asked Michael Corner.

"Haven't got a clue," he answered. "I was here the whole time he did, and he never said a word to anyone. I wonder if maybe he doesn't speak English."

"Oh surely he does," chimed in Padma Patil, "otherwise, how could he have gotten into Hogwarts in the first place?"

This banter carried on for a while until finally Luna couldn't spare any more time. She hurried off to classroom 2E for Charms. Their lesson with Professor Flitwick consisted of the Aguamenti spell, and an essay to follow. After class was over, Luna hung back.

"Professor," she said hesitantly, "I was hoping you could answer something that's been bothering me."

"Well I certainly hope so," Flitwick squeaked. "What is it, my dear?"

"There was a dark-haired boy at the staff table next to you at the Welcoming Feast, and I saw him again in the common room last night. Who is he? Why is he here?"

"Well, Miss Lovegood," said Professor Flitwick, "why don't you ask him yourself? He's really a nice boy; you just have to let him get used to you. He still hasn't settled in yet."

"Alright, then," she said, a bit disappointed but still hopeful at the same time. "Thanks, Professor."

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><p>That evening at dinner, Luna found a seat at the Ravenclaw table near the dark-haired stranger. She didn't say anything, but stole glances at him every few minutes, and she could tell he was doing the same. He didn't seem quite as on edge around her as he had earlier in the day. She did as Professor Flitwick had said; she didn't force herself on him, but rather just let him get used to her presence. After dinner, they all headed back to their respective common rooms. Luna found a seat near the fireplace, in an armchair with a table where she could work on her essays, until around nine o'clock when the stranger entered the common room. Although he still didn't speak, he did seem much more at ease in Ravenclaw Tower. Luna waited until he sat down, and then went over to him.<p>

"Hello," she said sweetly and dreamily. The stranger didn't reply, but did give an awkward sort of smile as he glanced up at her before turning back to his work.

"My name's Luna Lovegood," she said hesitantly, not entirely sure how to talk to this boy. "What's yours?" She waited, and for a moment thought that he was ignoring her, until she noticed he was holding out a bit of parchment to her. She took it, and saw that it bore the name _Seleneo Moonchild_.

"Well, Seleneo, I know you aren't entirely comfortable here yet, and I just thought if you wanted to, I could show you around this Saturday." She waited a moment as he wrote another note, and she took it when he'd finished. _I can't Saturday, I have classes. Sunday is fine though._

"Class on Saturday…" she said. "Well, alright then. Can I ask you just one more thing, and then I'll leave you alone?" He nodded, and she asked, "You obviously understand English. Why won't you talk?" She took the last note he wrote and read it. _I don't want you to hear my accent._

"Fair enough," she said. "I'll let you tell me whatever you want at your own pace. So, I guess I'll see you Sunday, then?" He nodded, and she turned towards the stairs to the dormitories. Then she stopped and turned back to Seleneo. "Will you talk Sunday?" He gave her a shifty look, and then she added, "It'll just be us, no one else will be around, and I won't laugh, I promise." The he nodded in agreement. She smiled and turned once again towards the dormitories. Finally she was going to get some answers, and at least now she had a name: Seleneo Moonchild.


	4. Ch 4: Seleneo

_Hello folks. This one's coming out pretty fast, isn't it? It'll probably be a while before the next chapter, but we'll just have to see. I'd appreciate it if you'd review. Thanks._**  
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><p><strong>Moonchild<strong>

**Chapter 4**

_Seleneo_

_Jesus Christ_, thought Seleneo as he headed to Professor Flitwick's office. _Why did I ever think this heavy of a schedule would be doable?_ He came back to reality as he knocked on Flitwick's office door, and he heard the squeaky voice say, "Come on in!"

"I've got your essay, Professor," said Seleneo as he extracted an immensely long roll of parchment from his bag. "Here it is, all seven feet. I tell you, this semester is killing me."

"Well," said Flitwick, "live and learn, right? So tell me, how do you like it here so far?"

"Well to be honest, I haven't had a chance really to take it all in," Seleneo confessed. "I've been so busy with work here and back home, it's like all I've done is schoolwork, and it's only been a week!"

"Yes, well, higher education does that to you," agreed Professor Flitwick. "Right, so Charms. If you want to have a seat, we can get started."

After an hour of breaking down wand movements with Professor Flitwick, Seleneo was free to go. _Tomorrow can't get here soon enough_, Seleneo thought. _No class, and I'll finally be able to talk to that Luna girl_. That was another problem with Seleneo's schedule; schoolwork upon schoolwork, and then there was the distraction of that blonde-haired girl with those big, grey eyes that seemed to shine like the moon on a clear night. He always found himself stealing glances, and up until the other day he thought he had been able to avoid detection. He had tried to avoid talking to anyone except the staff, and he had especially gone out of his way to avoid Luna; if he was going to embarrass himself, he certainly didn't want it to be in front of her. But now, she had offered to help him get acquainted with Hogwarts tomorrow, and he had reluctantly agreed to speak in front of her. Still, he was excited all the same to be spending the day with her.

_You'll never get all your work done if you keep mooning over that girl_, said a voice somewhere in the back of his head. Unfortunately, he knew that voice was probably right, but still, it was only for one day, right?

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><p>The next morning, Seleneo found Luna waiting for him in the Great Hall at breakfast. She didn't say anything when he sat down, but she gave him that pleasant smile that suggested she was thinking of something amusing. When they had both finished breakfast, they got up from the table, and Seleneo waited to see what Luna would do. She beckoned him to the great oak front doors to the castle.<p>

"I thought we'd start with the grounds, if that's alright?" she said. "I imagine you already know where most of the classrooms are." He nodded in agreement. "Great!" she chirped, and so they began their descent down the sloping lawns of Hogwarts grounds. After an hour or so, they returned to the Great Hall for lunch, and Luna suggested they go up in the clock tower.

"It really is quite fun to go up there, and it has an excellent view of the courtyard" she said. Seleneo nodded in agreement. They made their way up to the clock tower, and once inside, they sat on either side of the clock face, looking out over the grounds.

"So here we are," said Luna brightly. "Fantastic, isn't it?"

"Yeah," said Seleneo, speaking for the first time to any of the Hogwarts student body. He was glad it was Luna and not someone else. "It is."

"You spoke!" Luna said in a surprised fashion.

"I told you I would," said Seleneo. "You promised you wouldn't laugh."

"And I won't," Luna affirmed. "Why would I?"

"My accent," Seleneo said. "I bet I sound like an idiot when I talk."

"No you don't," she said. Seleneo look up, and found that he appreciated all the more this girl called Luna Lovegood. She sounded sincere. _Dang_, he thought. _How can someone like that be that accepting?_

"You sure?" Seleneo asked. This could all be some cruel joke she was playing on him.

"Honest," she said. "Where are you from, anyhow? Ron and Hermione said you were in the prefect compartment on the train, but they'd never seen you before."

"I'm American," said Seleneo. "They let me ride in the prefect cabin because I'm a GA."

"A what?" Luna asked.

"Graduate assistant," said Seleneo. "I graduated two years ago from the Allegheny Academy of Magic, and now I'm doing grad work at the Salem Witches' Institute. Right now I'm doing a study abroad, obviously, and they worked it out that I'll be working as Professor Flitwick's graduate assistant."

"So that's why you were in Ravenclaw Tower the other night!"

"Right," Seleneo said. "Since I'm working under Filius, they decided I'd be a de facto Ravenclaw. But now you see why I haven't wanted to speak in front of anyone here."

"Not really," said Luna.

"Back in the U.S., the region called Appalachia, which covers parts of New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi, not that any of that means anything to you, has a reputation of being full of backwoods idiots, especially the farther south you get. A lot of the time, people judge our intelligence based on how we sound. In fact, they did a study where they had some speakers read a pre-written segment, and then they were judged on how intelligent they were. When the results came in, it was decided that the man from California was smarter than the man from Georgia, even though they read the exact same speech verbatim."*

"That's unfortunate," said Luna sadly, "but if you're worried about people thinking you're unintelligent just because of how you sound, you shouldn't. If they just listen to you they'll see you're smart."

"That's the thing, though," Seleneo sighed, "people have a tendency not to listen."

"Tell me about it," said Luna. "People think I'm a nutter because of some of the things I say."

"Like what?" Seleneo probed. If she was going to try to make him feel better about his accent, he ought to at least try to get to know her a bit.

"Well, mainly it's the Crumple-Horned Snorkack," she said.

"The what?"

"The Crumple-Horned Snorkack," Luna repeated. "It's a magical creature that's native to Sweden. Dad and I went a few summers ago to try to find one but we didn't. They're very elusive."

"Well," said Seleneo, unsure of what to make of that. "Just because you didn't find one doesn't mean it's not there. For instance, coelacanths were thought to have been extinct for 66 million years, but a live specimen was caught off the coast of South Africa in 1938."*

"See?" Luna said, clearly excited that Seleneo had seen it from her point of view. "That's what I keep saying! Just because there's no proof that it exists doesn't mean it doesn't. There's no proof it doesn't exist either!"

"Well, there's all kindsa weird shit out there," said Seleneo, now letting his Appalachian accent show now that he knew he could. "Take for instance something that happened with my dad. When he was a kid they lived down in sort of the central eastern area of Kentucky, and it's a weird-ass place if ever there was one. Anyhow, when he was a kid he and his brother were out at their aunt's farm, I think is where he said it happened, but anyhow, he said they were out there and they heard this god-awful noise, sounded like a woman screaming, and they saw this big black shape move through the grass. Turns out it was a black panther, and it chased 'em for a while. I forget now how they got away, but still, keep in mind that people still insist that there aren't any black panthers in Kentucky."**

"That's…terrifying," said Luna. They sat in silence for a moment, and then both burst out laughing.

"Jeez…" Seleneo sighed. "How long have we been up here?"

"Dunno," said Luna. She looked at the clock face and exclaimed, "How is it already six-thirty! We've been sitting in the bell tower and neither of us heard it chime or anything!"

"Good company does that," said Seleneo. They were both silent for a moment, until Luna said, "Well, we should probably get back inside or we'll miss dinner."

"Yes, I think you're right," said Seleneo. They headed back to the Great Hall in silence, but for the first time in the two weeks he'd been in the United Kingdom, Seleneo Moonchild felt like he had a friend.

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><p>*This is true.<p>

**This actually did happen to my dad and his brother when they were kids.


	5. Ch 5: Seleneo

_I hope you all are enjoying this story so far. When I was writing this chapter, it occurred to me how incredible it is that something little can be something so big. Anyhow, here's chapter 5. Review if you don't mind.  
><em>

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><p><strong>Moonchild<strong>

**Chapter 5**

_Seleneo_

"Where are you going?" Luna asked. She and Seleneo had just come down from the Ravenclaw common room for dinner, but instead of turning into the Great Hall, Seleneo had started heading for the dungeons.

"Oh," Seleneo said. "Right, well, I told you I'm Filius' GA. I can't do classes at the normal times so I had to make other arrangements. I'm going right now for Advanced Potions."

"You can't just skip dinner," Luna said, almost pleading.

"Well, I sort of have to," said Seleneo with a shrug. "It's not a big deal, I've skipped meals before."

"That's horrid," said Luna. "And why are you speaking that way?"

"Well," said Seleneo, "I imagine I'll have to start speaking in front of people sooner rather than later, so I thought I'd try to sound like I belong here. I've been working on my British accent for years."

"Well, it's very convincing," Luna conceded, "but it's not you."

"OK, then, tell you what," Seleneo said. "What if I start out full British, and then over the course of however long, I ease everyone into it so that by the time I'm not faking an accent anymore, everyone will be used to it?"

"That sounds fair," Luna agreed.

"Alright, well, I'll catch you later," Seleneo said. With that, he headed on down to the dungeons where Professor Slughorn was waiting for him.

"Ah yes, Mr. Moonchild, good to see you," chortled Slughorn as Seleneo entered the dungeon reserved for Potions class.

"Evening, Professor," said Seleneo. "So what have you got in mind for tonight?"

"Glad you asked, dear boy," said Slughorn jovially. "Tonight we'll be brewing a Chameleon Potion."

"Chameleon, you say?" Seleneo probed, intrigued by Slughorn's choice.

"Yes," Slughorn affirmed. "A rather extraordinary concoction, it is. As you can probably imagine by its name, it causes the drinker's body to change color in accordance with its surroundings."

"But one's clothes would ruin the effect, wouldn't they?"

"That's the thing," said Slughorn. "Not only does it also affect the drinker's clothes, assuming he's wearing any, but it also adjusts to the viewer, tailoring its color change to whatever angle from which the viewer is seeing the drinker."

"Far out," said Seleneo. "Sounds good, what all do I need for it?"

"Instructions and ingredients," said Slughorn with a flick of his wand, "are on the board. You should find everything you need in the supply cabinets. You've got an hour, and then we'll take a look and what you've got."

* * *

><p>Seleneo trudged back up to Ravenclaw Tower now with an eight-foot essay on pigmentation potions to do, which was not helping his stress level. At long last, he reached the dark blue door with the brass eagle knocker.<p>

"There is a blue single-story house. The sofa is blue, the walls are blue, the floor is blue, and the ceiling is blue. What color are the stairs?"

"There are none," Seleneo said irritably.

"Eh, my heart wasn't in it," sighed the door knocker. "One of these days I'll come out with a really hard one, just you wait."

Seleneo sat down on the sofa near the fireplace in front of the table so that he could work on all of his schoolwork. He had barely gotten started when a loud crack made him jump in his seat. When he'd recovered, he saw the ugliest thing he'd ever seen in his life. It had a human shape, but was much shorter and appeared to be immensely old, with a long snout-like nose and bat ears, with copious amounts of ear hair and big bushy eyebrows, all pure white. It wore what appeared to be a potato sack and was bearing a golden tray laden with sandwiches.

"Kreacher has brought Sir dinner," it croaked.

"Who…who are you?" Seleneo asked hesitantly.

"You can set that down and then go if you want, Kreacher," said a dreamy voice from somewhere behind Seleneo. Then he saw Luna drop down from the back of the sofa onto the cushion beside him. "Just be on the lookout for whenever this tray empties so you can send up more. I imagine Seleneo's starving, aren't you?"

"Yeah, I…what's going on?" He turned to look again at Kreacher, but another loud crack signaled his departure. The golden sandwich tray lay on the table, with a goblet full of pumpkin juice next to it.

"While you were in your Potions class, I went over to the Gryffindor table," Luna explained. "Harry owns that house elf Kreacher, so I asked him if he would summon him and order him to bring you dinner."

"Harry…" Seleneo thought for a minute. "You don't mean Harry Potter, do you?"

"The very same," Luna said.

"He bought a house elf?"

"Goodness no," Luna giggled. "He inherited Kreacher from his godfather when he died. He got Sirius' house, too."

"Sirius…as in Sirius Black?"

"You don't miss a trick, do you?" Luna seemed to think this was all very funny.

"He's the guy that escaped Azkaban, right? I remember seeing that in the news back home, which is surprising since we usually don't see too much from outside our own country."

"You seem to know a lot about what happens over here, though," Luna observed.

"Well," said Seleneo, "I try to be more like a citizen of the world instead of just an American." He took a sandwich from the tray and took a bite. "This is good, but I'd rather have had sushi. I haven't had any in forever and I could literally eat it every day." As he said this, the tray cleared of sandwiches and refilled itself with numerous little rice cakes, each with a different type of seafood on top secured by a strip of seaweed. A pair of chopsticks had also appeared, along with a small dish and a bottle of soy sauce, as well as a little green mound and a pile of dark red slices of something at which Luna turned her nose up. The pumpkin-juice-filled goblet also vanished, and was replaced by a gold-painted ceramic flask accompanied by a small gold-painted ceramic cup.

"Is that…" Seleneo began, and poured some of the liquid out of the flask into the cup, and took a drink. "It is sake! Excellent! I dunno if you can hear me, Kreacher, but you're the best!"

"What is that like?" asked Luna. "I've never had any of it before."

"Alright, well, um…" Seleneo thought for a moment. "Um, ok, Kreacher, could you send up another cup and another pair of chopsticks?" Instantly his request was granted. "Ok, well first thing to do is pour out the soy sauce into this dish here, you see. Not too much, because it's in bad taste in Japanese cuisine to waste anything. I dunno if you want to put any wasabi in it, that's that green stuff over there. It's hotter than all get-out but some people like it. I don't, personally, but you might." He thought for a moment. "Kreacher, could you send up another soy sauce dish?" Another dish appeared. "Thanks, Kreacher. Right, so if you want to use any wasabi, you've got your own dish. Now, technically it's fine to use your fingers when you're eating sushi, but I think it's a bit more correct to use chopsticks. Have you ever used them before?"

"No," Luna said sheepishly. "I guess you'll show me?"

"Yeah, in a minute." He gestured to the sushi on the tray. "Ok, now this is called _nigiri_. Kreacher didn't seem to send any _maki_ up, but that's alright. This is the good stuff anyhow. So, most people think that sushi is raw fish, but it's actually not. It's the rice that's been prepared in vinegar. That's what gives the rice its flavor and also helps it keep its shape. Raw fish is called sashimi. Now, I'd say a lot of this stuff is smoked, but even if it is raw it's alright because they have to keep sashimi at -35 degrees Celsius for at least 24 hours according to FDA regulation. I dunno what it is over here but I'm sure it's similar. That way it's still raw but any bacteria that was in it is dead. It probably doesn't matter though because I imagine there's some magical means of sanitizing it."

"You know a lot about this, don't you?" said Luna.

"I take food seriously," said Seleneo, keeping a straight face as long as he could before he broke out in a grin. "Right, so I don't know your preferences, so we'll start with something that's usually a safe bet. This is _sake nigiri_ –"

"I thought that drink was sake?" Luna interrupted.

"Different kind of sake," said Seleneo, "but very good, you were paying attention. No, this _sake_ in Japanese is salmon. Right, so you've got your soy sauce, but before anything, we each take a cup of sake," he poured a cup and passed it to Luna, "and in Japanese culture people are supposed to make sure each other's glasses are filled, so you'll pour mine," she took the flask and poured Seleneo's cup the rest of the way full, "and then we say _'itadakimasu'_."

"_Ita-daki…masu,_" Luna said, trying her best to say it right.

"Very good. So that's 'I humbly receive.' Ok, so then you take your chopsticks in your wand hand like this," he showed Luna his chopsticks, and then helped her set hers. For a moment a sensation like an electric current shot through Seleneo's body as their hands momentarily touched. "Ok, and then you use these fingers to operate them, you see? Right, so then what you want to do is take your piece of _nigiri_ and dip it fish-first into your sauce. You don't want to get any on the rice because for one thing, it'll take away from the vinegar flavor, and it'll also make it fall apart. Ok, so now once you've done that you want to just pop the whole thing in your mouth with the fish side down. That way all the soy sauce and fish flavor hits your taste buds first." And so, Seleneo did just that. He popped his piece of _nigiri_ into his mouth, and he savored every second of it.

"This is fantastic!" Luna exclaimed. "What else is here?"

"Ok, let's see," Seleneo mused as he scanned the tray. "Looks like he's sent up _saba_, that's mackerel, _maguro_, tuna, _ebi_, that's shrimp, and _unagi_, that's eel. I've never actually had _unagi_ before, so I dunno what that's like. All I know is I could eat this stuff til I puke."

"Lovely," Luna said. It sounded sarcastic, but she didn't seem to show any sign of disgust, so that was a good thing as far as Seleneo was concerned. He and Luna ate their fill, until they both felt like they would burst.

"And now that we're done," said Seleneo after the tray and sake cups had vanished, "we say '_gochisōsama deshita_'."

"_Gochisōsama_ _deshita_," said Luna with a nod.

"It was a feast," Seleneo reiterated. "Well, I had hoped to get some work done tonight, but I much prefer the way I spent the time I would've used for that."

"Me too," said Luna, looking up at Seleneo from under her eyelids. "It was nice." Seleneo hesitated for a moment, lost in those grey eyes that shone like the moon.

"Yes, well," he said awkwardly, "I guess I should get to bed then. You probably should, too."

"Yeah, I guess so," Luna agreed.

"Well, good night then," said Seleneo, and he turned to head up the stairs to his private dormitory.

_Way to go, Slick_, said a voice in his head. _You just passed up a great chance. You may not get an opportunity like that again._

"I know, I know," he answered himself. "God, I'm an idiot."


	6. Ch 6: Seleneo

****_Hey folks. This one's a bit shorter than the past few, but I think that's alright. A long chapter doesn't necessarily equal a good one and a short one doesn't necessarily equal a bad one. I do hope you're enjoying this if you've been following it from the beginning, and reviews are always appreciated.  
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><p><strong>Moonchild<strong>

**Chapter 6**

_Seleneo_

_What was I thinking?_ Seleneo thought to himself on the way to Flitwick's classroom. _A lecture on Japanese food? I ought to write home and see if Dad can't send me some bourbon. I need to forget that episode. _Finally he reached Flitwick's classroom, and as he entered he made note of where everything was in the room. He felt foolish considering he spent every day in here, but today was different. Soon after, the sixth year Ravenclaws entered.

"Seleneo?" Luna said as she found her seat. "What're you doing here?"

"You'll see," he said with a smile. Then when the last person had entered, he shut the door with a flick of his wand and addressed the class as a whole.

"Ok, everyone," he said, putting on his best fake British accent, "obviously I am not Professor Flitwick. My name is Seleneo Moonchild, and although I am Professor Flitwick's graduate assistant, the reason you haven't seen me in here before is because this is normally my free period. However, it seems he's fallen ill with something so he won't be in class today, and I'll be filling in for him. Madame Pomfrey's fixing him up as we speak, but for now he's left me instructions saying that you are to be continuing the Aguamenti spell, and that I am to supervise. He would prefer that by the end of the lesson you all be able to direct your water flow into these jars," he flicked his wand and a jar flew to each person's seat. "Alright, so…yeah. If you have any questions or you need help anything, raise your hand and I'll do what I can. Well, have at it."

So, they began. No one was having any particularly good amount of success directing their water into the jars, and by the end of the lesson, several people were soaked to the bone.

"Ok, well, you all know what you need to work on," called Seleneo. "I'll let Professor Flitwick know he'll probably want to go over the spell again with you all next class." With that, he rushed out of the classroom with no particular destination in mind. He hadn't gotten too far away when Luna had caught up to him.

"Well, I dicked that up all to Hell, huh?" he said when he caught sight of her.

"No, it was fine," she consoled. "And if you don't mind, I'd rather you not talk like that."

"Alright, I won't," he said, "but only for you. Normally I've got a filthy mouth, but for you I'll try to keep it clean. Just know that I'm making no promises." He tried to smile but found it exceedingly hard. "You know, I thought maybe someday I might want to teach classes or workshops, but now I'm not so sure. That went horribly."

"No, really, it was fine," Luna insisted. "You'd never had to teach before, what could you have expected?"

"You're too kind," he sighed. Then he looked her in the eye. "Seriously, you're too kind. I don't deserve that kind of praise."

"Of course you do," she said. "Listen, I've got to run or I'll be late for Professor Lupin's class, but I'll catch you later, alright?" She turned to leave, but before she did, she hugged him around the middle from behind. "Just keep faith," she said, and he could feel the vibration of her voice in his back. "That's what Dad always says." Then she let him go and went on her way.

Seleneo turned to watch her leave with a heavy heart. _I really need to apologize about the sushi thing,_ he thought to himself as he headed back to the Charms classroom. _If I can just make it through the day…_

But making it through the day was not a particularly easy feat for Seleneo Moonchild. Although he recited Flitwick's instructions flawlessly to each Charms class that day, his thoughts kept returning to Luna Lovegood. _She's the only person in this whole country who really _gets_ me,_ he thought to himself. _But then, of course that's the case. She's the only one who really even knows me at all._ He thought about that for a while. He would be in Britain for an entire academic year, so he should probably get out and talk to people. _Then again_, he finally decided, _I'm pretty OK with that._


	7. Ch 7: Luna

****_Hey folks. Sorry, I would've had this up yesterday except the site had gone crazy on my browser, so I couldn't do anything with it. So here's chapter 7. Enjoy, and don't hesitate to review.  
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><p><strong>Moonchild<strong>

**Chapter 7**

_Luna_

_It really hadn't been _that_ bad, _Luna thought as she navigated the halls to the Transfiguration classroom. _I mean…well, he tried, at least._ She turned a corner and saw the classroom door standing open.

"Good morning, Miss Lovegood," said Lupin when she entered. "I wanted to apologize for the foot we got off on that first day. I realize I was a bit brisk."

"It's alright, Professor," she said. "You don't have to apologize to me."

"I know," he sighed, "but I want to. It's tough, you know? Not having ever been a teacher before and now having to know how to do it all of a sudden, and then with Remus having taught here before as well…I understand he was very well-liked among the students. Not only do I have to live up to Minerva as Transfiguration teacher, but then there's living up to the name 'Lupin' as well."

"I imagine that would be difficult," Luna admitted.

"Well…here comes the rest of them," Lupin said. "I hate to cut this short but it looks like I have to teach. Come by my office for tea sometime."

The next hour was spent working again on Vanishing spells. Luna had trouble concentrating, and although her spell work was fine, her focus kept being interrupted by thoughts of how down Seleneo had been earlier. When Lupin dismissed class, she approached his desk.

"Professor," she said, "how soon can I cash in on that tea?"

"Let me see," Lupin said, and started rifling through parchments until he found what he was looking for. "Ok, here we are…I've got planning periods tomorrow at 12.30 until one, and then from 2.45 until 3.15. Do either of those sound agreeable?"

"Pencil me in for 2.45," said Luna.

"Alright," said Lupin, reaching for his quill. "I'll mark it right now so I don't forget."

Luna's tea appointment with Professor Lupin came sooner than she had expected. The hours between now and Transfiguration the day before had disappeared in a rush between eating in the Great Hall and being inundated with homework. Worst of all, she hadn't even seen Seleneo in passing since the Charms class he had subbed for.

"Come in," she heard Lupin call from inside when she knocked on the office door. The inside of the office was very different than what she had expected. It looked more like a sitting room than an office, with a sofa and two armchairs surrounding a coffee table near the fireplace, with an office desk sitting discreetly in the corner. A large portrait of Merlin hung on the wall opposite the fireplace, and long green and silver banners hung on the walls. On the mantelpiece were several black-and-white photographs of two boys who each kept trying to push the other out of the frame, and in the middle was a much larger photograph of Remus Lupin.

"Luna, good to see you," said the professor as she stepped inside. "How do you take it?"

"Crème and sugar, if that's alright," she said.

"No problem at all," replied Lupin. "I'm just a sugar person, myself, but I always keep crème on hand for instances like these." He poured the additives into one cup that was already filled and stirred it before setting it down in front of her on the table.

"So, what can I do for you?" asked the professor.

"Well…" Luna began, letting her voice trail off. She had gotten distracted by the décor of the office. "Professor, were you a Slytherin when you were here?"

"I was, in fact," admitted Lupin. "Remus never mentioned me to his Gryffindor friends, and that's fine. I wouldn't have expected him to. I was a few years ahead of him, anyhow. But yes, I was a Slytherin, and I'm a bit more proud of that now that Voldemort's out of the picture. We're not all bad, you know."

She considered this for a moment before saying, "Those pictures on the mantle, are they you and your brother?"

"You don't miss anything, do you?" Lupin chuckled. "Yes, that's us. Never got on all that well, Remus and I, but that's how it is sometimes I suppose. Of course, looking back I see that most of the problems between us were my fault…I wish I could go back and change it, but the past is the past and there's no use dwelling on it."

"You miss him though, don't you?" she probed.

"Of course I do!" Lupin said vehemently. "I loved my brother dearly. I just wish I'd done a better job of showing it. That's why it's so difficult, you know? It's my understanding that all the students here loved him, except the Slytherins of course, but that was probably more out of principle than anything else. So I have his reputation to live up to, and in a way it's like if I don't live up to it, I won't be able to make amends. I'm not sure if that even makes sense or not."

"Some of the better things in life don't," Luna said.

Lupin studied her for a moment. "That's a wise thing to say," he said finally. "Wiser than most things I'll ever say, probably." He took a drink from his cup. "Enough of my troubles, though. I set this time apart for _you_. So what can I do for you?"

"Well, it's…" Luna tried to find the words for what she was feeling at the moment. "Have you ever been in a situation where you cared for someone, and you wanted to help them but didn't know how?"

"I believe I'm in one of those situations right now," Lupin said, "but I believe I have an idea of what you're talking about. This wouldn't happen to be about Seleneo Moonchild, would it?"

"Yes!" Luna exclaimed. "How did you know?"

"He was in here yesterday evening," Lupin explained. "Said he wanted to go ahead and do Saturday's lesson last night, and also to see if he could get some advice. He talked about you quite a bit, if you can believe it."

"Did he?" If Luna's feelings had been churning before, it was nothing compared to now.

"Yes he did," Lupin said, "and I imagine he's on your mind right now, as well. Listen, you don't have to say anything, and you don't have to act on what I'm about to say, either. I don't want to see you get hurt, or any of my students for that matter, but one of the worst things in life is living with the question 'What if'. For years I've lived with it myself. What if I'd treated Remus better when we were young? Would he still be alive? What if I'd fought next to him against Voldemort instead of hiding? Maybe his son would have had his own father to raise him. All these things, I wonder…what if? Now, as I said, do with that what you will, but above all, do what you think is right."

"I'd better go," Luna said, setting down her half-finished cup. "If I hang around any longer I'll be late for Professor Jones' class."

"Well in that case, yes I think you'd better had," said Lupin. "Just remember, the universe has a way of working things out. Everything will turn out the way it's meant to."

"Thanks, Professor," said Luna. She retrieved her schoolbag from the floor and headed out of the office.

_Do what I think is right_, Luna thought to herself on the way to Defense Against the Dark Arts. _I can do that_.


	8. Ch 8: Seleneo

Moonchild

Chapter 8

_Seleneo_

Seleneo headed down to the Ravenclaw table for breakfast as usual, and he was soon joined by Luna. Seleneo kept glancing up at the ceiling, which was a steely gray, but Luna hadn't seemed to notice. That was probably the thing he admired most about her: she never seemed to fall victim to the weary, sorrowful circle of life. He envied how pleasantly content she always looked. Finally what he'd been waiting for appeared in the form of a team of barn owls swooping down to drop a parcel in front of him on the table with a letter addressed to _Seleneo K. Moonchild_.

"What's the K stand for?" Luna asked serenely.

"I'd rather not say," Seleneo said. Then he leaned over to whisper in her ear, "It's Kavouri. I hate my middle name, that's why I didn't want to say it out loud."

"So what is that parcel?" Luna probed.

"I'm not sure," Seleneo said, trying to keep the excitement out of his voice. He was almost a hundred percent sure what it was, but he didn't want to tell Luna or anyone else. "I'll probably open it during my free period."

And so Seleneo's free period arrived. He rushed up to Ravenclaw Tower, to his private dormitory, and tore open the package. Inside was a heavy pewter basin with strange runes carved along the lip.

"Excellent," Seleneo said to himself. "It's about time this thing got here." He considered the ponderous basin for a moment. "So now I just need some vials," he said to himself. "I'll need to visit the library, too. I'm pretty sure I know the spell, but I'll need to check it to be sure." He carried the basin over to the window sill and set it down; he'd keep it there for now until he could think of a better place for it. He wanted a place to keep it where no one but him would know about it, even though no one but him ever came up here. That was the best part of having his own private dormitory; here could be found something that could be found in very few other places at Hogwarts, and that was solitude.

"I really don't want to go be Flitwick's bitch," he said to himself. The quiet and solitude of his tower hideaway was so inviting, so seductive, he felt like he would never want to leave it if he stayed there too long. Finally the logical side of his brain won the battle, and he descended from his tower to return to the rest of the castle. He made a mental note as he exited the Ravenclaw common room to stop by the library.

"There you are," said Luna dreamily as she sat down at the Ravenclaw table for dinner that evening. "I haven't seen you all day."

"I've been busy," Seleneo replied, which wasn't necessarily a lie. It just hadn't been all schoolwork he'd been doing. "Oh, before I forget, I'll be at Astronomy tonight."

"Really?" Luna seemed genuinely surprised by this. "You haven't been at a single Astronomy class all year so far. What's the occasion?"

"Well," Seleneo said, "it just worked out that I had tonight free, so I'll be able to make it. So what have you got going on tonight before then?"

"Nothing really," she said. "I mean, homework, but there's always homework so nothing out of the ordinary."

"Alright," Seleneo said, disappointment seeping through the word. "I had just thought if you weren't doing anything, since Astronomy doesn't start til midnight, I thought maybe you'd want to come sit in on my Alchemy class. It's from seven to nine, and it's probably dreadfully boring so I totally get it if you don't want to. The more I think about it the more it occurs to me how unappealing that actually sounds. Forget I ever brought it up."

"No, I'll go," Luna said hurriedly. "I've always wondered about Alchemy. I've heard that it's the only branch of magic that Muggles have ever had any kind of success in."

"Hard to say," said Seleneo. "Well, they won't have achieved any success through magical means, that's for certain. That will be a good question for tonight."

"Who teaches that anyway?"

"Slughorn and McGonagall," said Seleneo. "Minerva told me that Albus Dumbledore used to teach it, but obviously he can't anymore…It's because where it combines chemistry and potioneering with transformation magic, they collaborate on the subject."

"That makes sense," said Luna. "It's hard to believe he's been dead almost two years."

"It really is a loss to the entire world, wizards and Muggles alike," said Seleneo. "I wonder how long he would've lived…well, he could create a Philosopher's Stone, so I guess however long he wanted, really. But, if we're going to Alchemy, we'd better get a move-on, I think. They do it down in the dungeons since all the potions equipment is down there."

They set off together at a brisk pace in order to get down to Seleneo's Alchemy class by seven. He was surprised, but not disappointed, that Luna had agreed to come. He was certain she never would again, but he figured he might as well enjoy this one time while he had it.

"Good evening, Mr. Moonchild," said the kind but severe voice of Minerva McGonagall. "And Ms. Lovegood, it seems. Unusual but delightful all the same."

"Wonderful, that one, isn't she?" Slughorn guffawed. "I remember that Christmas party of mine she came to a few years ago. Fantastic. Will I see you there again this year?"

"Only if I have someone to go with," she said placidly.

"Excellent!" Slughorn strode over to his desk. "Well, it won't be a difficult lesson tonight. Just have a test for you, and then you'll be free to go."

Seleneo set to work on his test, which involved naming the Three Primes, the four basic elements, the mundane elements, the planetary metals, and the alchemical processes, along with drawing their alchemic symbols.

"Professor McGonagall," Luna said as Seleneo wrote, "is it true that Alchemy is the only branch of magic where Muggles have seen any kind of success?"

"It is true to a certain degree," said McGonagall. "The goals of the medieval alchemists were to transmutate metals into gold and silver, create a remedy for all diseases so as to prolong life indefinitely, and create a universal solvent. Muggles have developed universal solvents, they have developed devices which they call "life-support" which does just what its name implies, and they do have the ability now to transform elements with the proper machinery, although it's far too expensive with too low a yield for it to be worth the trouble. So, I suppose the answer to your question is both yes and no."

"Finished," Seleneo declared. He handed Slughorn his parchment and then he and Luna left the dungeons.

"Like I said, I totally get it if you never want to go back to that again," Seleneo said. "You saw what that test was like."

"I thought it was pretty neat, the little bit I was there," Luna said. "I'm surprised they don't offer this all the time."

"They only do it for NEWT students, and even then it's only if there's enough interest," he said. "The only reason I was able to get away with having it as a private class was because I need it for my degree."

"What are you doing your grad work in anyhow?" Luna asked as they made their way towards the Astronomy tower.

"Wandlore," said Seleneo. "There aren't enough good wandmakers anymore, but especially not in the States. I'm also thinking of experimenting with materials. Once I start doing an internship somewhere I'll be able to test my theories."

They chattered away the rest of the trip about various things, from Seleneo's plans of being a wandmaker to Luna's dream of travelling the world in search of new and fantastic creatures. Finally they reached the Astronomy tower. They were the last two to arrive, with Professor Sinistra right behind them.

"Alright, folk," she said, taking her place in front of the class, "let's get started."


	9. Ch 9: Seleneo

**Moonchild**

**Chapter 9**

_Seleneo_

The Astronomy lesson went very well, Seleneo thought. Professor Sinistra had assigned them a star chart on which they were to label all the major stars in each constellation along the ecliptic plane, and the rest of the month they were to track Jupiter's progress along the ecliptic. Finally she dismissed class, and the students began descending the tower. Professor Sinistra strode over to Seleneo before heading out herself.

"Here you go, Mr. Moonchild," she said, handing him a set of great silver keys on a brass ring. "Lock up when you're finished."

"Thanks, Professor," he said, and he took the keys from her. Then he turned to Luna. "Listen, I've got a lot of work to catch on up here, so I probably won't be back to the tower for a while. Don't bother waiting up."

"Are you sure?" she asked. "I don't mind."

"No, it's fine," he said. "No sense in you losing out on sleep because of me."

"Alright, well if you're sure…" she let her voice trail off. Then without another word, she turned and descended the Astronomy tower.

"Alright," Seleneo said to himself. "How will I do this?" He paced around the observation deck, moving from telescope to telescope. After a while of this, it finally dawned on him.

"Eureka!" Seleneo cried. "I've got it! But I'll need help…If this is to work, I'll need these," he tapped the keys to the tower with his wand and they duplicated, "and I'll need the Golden Trio."

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><p>"You wanted to see us?" said Harry to the inside of the boathouse.<p>

"I see you received my owl," replied Seleneo. "I expected you would. Sorry it was such a roundabout way of requesting your presence, but you'll understand why it had to be that way."

"We'll understand if you ever decide to explain," Ron said scathingly.

"Well," Seleneo said, "I have a plan, you see, and it requires a combination of extraordinary magic and a bit of skullduggery, and I could think of no one better to help me with those than you three."

"Yes, you said as much in your note," said Harry. "Personally, I'm all for it. Just tell us what you need and I'm in, at least."

"What's this about, Harry?" Hermione asked. Harry showed her and Ron the note that Seleneo had sent, and they agreed that they were in on the plan.

"Right," said Seleneo. "Well, there will be plenty of time to explain the whole plan. Expect more owls from me. In the meantime, the first bit I'd like to take care of as soon as possible, which is why I need a way to sneak into Hogsmeade."

"Why Hogsmeade?" asked Ron. "You won't find what you're looking for there. There aren't any stores in the village that would carry one."

"Right," said Seleneo, "but I need to get there so that I can apparate to London. I'd do it from here except you can't apparate inside the Hogwarts grounds. Haven't any of you read _Hogwarts: A History_?"

"I have!" Hermione piped up, obviously delighted to have found someone other than herself who had read the book.

"That makes sense," said Harry. "Well, I'm not sure how many secret passages out have been blocked off, but there is still one I know of in the Room of Requirement. I'm not sure if the whole room was destroyed during the battle or just the Room of Hidden Things, so if that doesn't work, there's a foolproof passage beneath the Whomping Willow. You'll need to prod the knot on its trunk, and then you can take the tunnel at the base. It leads to the inside of the Shrieking Shack, but that should be fine for what you're using it for."

"Thank you," said Seleneo. "Now before this goes any further, can I count on you three to see it through to the end?"

"Yes," they all three said in unison.

"Good," Seleneo said. "I'll be sending more instructions sometime around Halloween. I intend to execute my plan right around halfway through November, so there's still plenty of time."

"What if the plan backfires?" asked Hermione. "I mean, it is quite a risk."

"I know that," said Seleneo. "Don't think I haven't considered it. To be honest, part of me expects it to fail regardless of how hard we try."

"I don't think it will fail," said Harry. "In fact, I know it won't."

"How can you be sure?" Seleneo asked.

"Professor Slughorn likes me," he said, "and I'm pretty sure I can get his friend Felix to help you out."


	10. Ch 10: Luna

**Moonchild**

**Chapter 10**

_Luna_

Halloween was right around the corner, which meant the first Hogsmeade weekend was coming up fast. It was all the talk of the school; going to Honeydukes, Zonko's, getting butterbeer from Madame Rosmerta at the Three Broomsticks, and seeing the Shrieking Shack.

That morning at breakfast, the day before Halloween, Neville Longbottom approached Luna at the Ravenclaw table.

"Hey, Luna," he said tentatively. "I was wondering if I could ask you something."

"Sure," she said placidly.

"Well," he stammered, sweat starting to bead on his forehead, "I thought, you know, the first Hogsmeade weekend is tomorrow, and I thought, well I was wondering…if maybe…"

"I wanted to go with you?" she finished for him.

"Well…yeah," Neville finished lamely.

Luna thought about it for a moment. On the one hand, she did like Neville and knew she'd have fun with him. On the other hand, she had been hoping, however faintly, that it would Seleneo standing here awkwardly asking her to Hogsmeade instead of Neville. Then again, they'd known about this Hogsmeade thing for a while now, and Seleneo hadn't said anything about it.

"Yeah, why not?" Luna said brightly. "It'll be fun."

"OK, well…wait, really?" Neville said, doing a double-take. "Great! Um…yeah, well…great! I'll see you later, then." Neville turned back to the Gryffindor table and headed off in a sort of daze. Luna turned back to the Ravenclaw table, and as she did so caught a glimpse of the door to the Entrance Hall. Standing in the doorway, for a fleeting moment, was Seleneo. In that moment the two of them locked eyes. She wasn't sure what it was she saw in his eyes in that moment; was it shock, or hurt? She wasn't sure, and as soon as she saw him he vanished from the doorway, speeding off into the rest of the castle.

Luna took off after him, and finally caught up with him in the Charms corridor.

"Seleneo," she called after him. "What was that all about? You just took off."

"Nothing," he said shortly. "I just needed to get up here. Get ready for Flitwick's classes, you know."

"Is this because of Neville?" she continued.

"No," he said. "No, why would I even care about that? Listen, I need to get in there and get ready. I'll catch you later, alright?" He didn't wait for her answer, and shut the door in front of her.

But Seleneo didn't catch her later. Luna didn't see hide nor hair of him the whole rest of the day. She looked for him at lunch, and again at dinner, but neither time was he anywhere to be found. Despite what he had said, Luna had a sneaking suspicion that he was acting this way because he had seen her and Neville together at breakfast. Then again, if he wanted to hide from her because of it, that was up to him. She'd tried to explain to him that she and Neville were just friends, but he hadn't even given her the chance.

"I'll just enjoy tomorrow," she said to herself as she got up from the Ravenclaw table to head back to the common room.

When she finally arrived back in Ravenclaw Tower, she set to work on some homework before bed. It seemed like the perfect way to get her mind off of how things were going lately. After making some good headway on her essays, she resigned herself for bed. She climbed the marble stairs up to the dormitory, and on her bed she saw a bit of parchment. She unfolded it, and in a curly, feminine-looking script, she read:

"_He has feelings for you. Don't let them go to waste. You two belong together_." Where there should have been a signature, there was only the letter _V_.

"I don't know anyone with a V name," she said to herself. "Well, I'll worry about this later." She got into bed and shut her eyes, but sleep was reluctant to come. Her mind was racing with questions. _Who is he?_ _Who is V? What does all this mean?_ And most important of all, _Why didn't Seleneo ask me first?_


	11. Ch 11: Luna

**Moonchild**

**Chapter 12**

_Luna_

Breakfast came far too early the next morning. Luna had stayed up late the night before, so it was very difficult to get up that morning. She ate with her eyes half open, still in that hazy area halfway between waking and asleep, when an unexpected owl swooped down and dropped an envelope on top of her Full English. She dazedly opened it, but quickly achieved lucidity upon reading its contents.

"_The way he looks at you, it should be obvious. Go to the Astronomy tower on November 14. You will not regret it. He'll be waiting for you there. –V."_

Luna stared bemusedly at this second note from V. Whoever V. was, he or she seemed to be watching Luna and whoever "he" was. Luna didn't even notice when Seleneo sat down across the table from her.

"Earth to Luna," he said in his fake accent after a few minutes. She blinked furiously to bring herself back to reality. "That must be quite important to draw you away from a breakfast like that."

"I think it is," she said hesitantly, "but I'm not sure what it means." She handed the note to him.

"Well," he said after he'd read it, "it sounds to me like it means you should go to the Astronomy tower on November 14." He handed it back to her.

"Very funny," she said as she took it back from him. "I got that. What I don't get is who this person means by "he", or who V. is. You don't know anyone with a V name, do you?"

"No," he said, tucking in to his Ulster fry. "Maybe it's Voldemort back from the grave." She gave him a reproachful look. "Too soon, gotcha," he said, and proceeded to stuff his face to prevent himself from saying any more.

"You've seemed distant lately," Luna said. "Something's bothering you. What is it?"

"Nothing," he said through a mouthful of black pudding. "I'm fine. I'm just super behind on all my work."

"Well," Luna said, "I've been thinking. I think you can afford to take a day off from schoolwork, because I think we should spend another day in the Clock Tower."

"Think so, huh?" he replied. "Well, I suppose I can get away with putting this stuff off another day."

They finished their breakfast, and then headed out onto the Hogwarts grounds until they came to the massive tower overlooking the courtyard. Soon they were sitting in their old places in front of the clock face.

"So," said Luna as her feet dangled out in front of her. "Here we are."

"Yep," Seleneo agreed. "Here we are. Seems like forever since we were up here last, know what I mean?"

"Yeah," she said uncertainly. "You know, this V. person worries me a bit. I mean, whoever it is sounds like they're watching me all the time."

"Let me see that note again," Seleneo said, gesturing for the note from V. Luna handed it to him and he looked it over again. "Yeah, this definitely sounds like a creeper for sure."

"What do you think I should do?" she asked.

"Well," he thought about it for a moment, "hmm…Tell you what, I'll hang on to this and talk to McGonagall about it. You don't need to worry yourself about this. I'm not sick anymore, so I'll be able to keep an eye out for you," he let his voice trail off, and then gave a sigh. "I'm sure Neville and your other Gryffindor friends will too." He cast his eyes out over the grounds. She immediately could see what was bothering him.

"This is about Neville, isn't it?" she demanded. Not forcefully or aggressively, not even angrily, but her voice was filled with conviction.

"No, of course not," Seleneo stammered, deliberately not looking her in the eye. "What does Neville even have to do with anything?"

"Don't lie to me," Luna insisted. "You're not a very good liar, you know. You may be able to fool everyone else that you're British with that fake accent, but that's about as far as it goes."

"You're accusing me of being jealous of Neville Longbottom?" Seleneo demanded.

"Yes, I believe I am," said Luna, "and listen, there's no reason to be. Neville and I are just friends, nothing more and nothing less."

"I've heard that before," Seleneo scoffed, "not that I don't believe you. I don't think you'd lie to me, but that's a statement that's hard to believe when your girlfriend tells you she and one of your best mates are just friends, and then she dumps you two weeks before Christmas because 'her gods told her it was best for her' and it's really because she's snogging said friend behind your back even though they're 'just friends'."*

"Well, it's a good thing I'm not her, isn't it?" Luna said. "Look, I can't force you to believe me, but Neville and I aren't together, nor are we going to be. We gave it a shot over the summer and it didn't work out. Besides, I have it on good authority that he fancies Hannah Abbott."

"I saw him ask you to Hogsmeade," Seleneo admitted. "That suggests to me that he's not over you, and if he does fancy this other girl, he's got a funny way of showing it."

"I knew you saw that," Luna said, "and it's about time you admitted it. Yes, he asked me to Hogsmeade, but that's because he's used to my company."

"But if he fancies this Abbott girl, why didn't he ask her?"

"You may find this hard to believe," said Luna, "but even though Neville's a hero having killed one of Voldemort's Horcruxes, he's still a bit of a weenie."

"I can relate to that," Seleneo said. "Not the hero part, but the weenie part."

"Is that so?" Luna teased.

"Oh yes," Seleneo continued. "Well, you remember the first few days of the semester, I didn't speak to anyone. I still don't like to, really. It's hard being different, you know?"

"Do I ever," she sighed. "I know everyone calls me Loony Lovegood, but I don't let it bother me. I am who I am and there's no point in being something else just for others' sake."

"Well, at least it's based on your quirks." She gave him a peculiar look. "Not that your quirks aren't great," he added swiftly. "If they weren't there, you wouldn't be you, and that's wouldn't be good. My point is the people who think you're crazy think so because of your idiosyncrasies, like your belief in the Crumple-Horned Snorkack or the fact that you sleep with your shoes on. If people knew I was from Kentucky they'd look at me like I was some backwoods idiot."

"I don't think they would," Luna said. "Quite a few of the upper-level Ravenclaws have commented on how smart you are, and in case you haven't noticed, the first and second-years moon over you all the time." She paused for a moment. "And how did you know I sleep with my shoes on?"

"You aren't the only Ravenclaw that talks to Gryffindors," Seleneo replied suspiciously. "I believe his name is Ron Weasley? That red-headed fella that hangs around with Harry Potter let the cat out of the bag."

"Oh," Luna resigned. "Well, I might be upset if it weren't true, and it's Ron and he is prone to let things slip like that."

"He does seem to lack a certain mental filter," Seleneo agreed. "Kept going on about how your Dad is a nutter for making that headband thing that was supposed to be a reproduction of Ravenclaw's diadem but didn't look a thing like it."

"He said that, did he?" Luna was suddenly perturbed. Not angry, particularly, but she could feel her cheeks getting hot. "Well, I'll have to have a talk with him"

"I don't think that will be necessary," said Seleneo. "Harry and Hermione both scolded him for it, Hermione especially. She seems to be able to exert punishment on him like no one else can."

"Yes," Luna agreed. "Ever since the two of them went public he's been sort of…"

"I think I can provide the term you're looking for," Seleneo interjected. "Where I'm from, we either say 'pussywhipped,' but if it were my friends they'd just call him a bitch. I know you asked me not to talk like that," Seleneo added, "but there was no way around it."

"Yes, well," Luna hesitated. "He is those things, I guess." They sat in silence for a moment before Seleneo finally broke it.

"Well," he said, "I'm glad I don't have to worry about Neville being a problem. I was afraid for a minute I'd have to beat him up."

"Oh, like you could beat anyone up," Luna teased. "You've got no muscles in your upper body."

"Yes I do!" Seleneo said indignantly. "They're not very big, but they're there!"

"And why exactly would Neville have been a problem?" she added.

"Well, um…" Seleneo sputtered, clearly caught off guard by this question. "I've seen a lot of good girls get hurt by what they thought were good guys. Not that Neville isn't a good guy," he added upon seeing the reproachful look that Luna gave him, "it's just that he may not be right. Well, obviously not because you said it didn't work out over the summer. I just know there's some guys that are good people, but they're insecure and so they fixate on a fantasy they have, and then try to force it to be real and then everyone gets hurt. It's like in that Green Day song _When I Come Around_, 'you can't go forcing something if it's just not right.'"

"I guess you've seen this firsthand, then?"

"I used to be one of those guys," he said, again doing his best to not meet her gaze. Luna didn't say anything, but took that moment to really take in Seleneo's features. He reminded her a lot of Harry, the more she thought about it. He had messy brown hair, although it didn't stick up quite as bad as Harry's mop. His chocolaty brown eyes were framed by glasses very much like those that Harry owned, and they rested directly on the bridge of his nose that had a slight bump in it. It didn't quite look like it had been broken, but there was definitely a slight bump. He had a thin face overall, and his mouth was ringed by a mustache and goatee combination. Normally Luna wasn't a huge fan of facial hair, but this seemed to suit him, she thought. As she took his features in, she thought about it and felt as though he had the look about him that his mood could change that of an entire group. There was something about him, but she couldn't figure out what – like there was some kind of sadness that was always present but somewhere in the background.

"What are you thinking?" he asked her after what felt like an eternity of silence. She was caught off guard by this; she was not used to hearing boys ask that kind of question.

"I'm thinking…" she trailed off. _He's lied to me,_ she thought, _I can lie to him for a while, too_. "I'm thinking that if we don't get a move-on, we'll miss dinner. Come on." They got to their feet and started towards the spiral stairs down to the ground floor. Before they had actually reached the stairs, Luna stopped short.

"Wait," she said. Seleneo turned to face her, puzzlement in his eyes. She took a deep breath and prepared herself. She wasn't quite ready yet, but that was okay. She had all kinds of time. She stepped forward and took his hand in hers. "Let's go," she said, and together they walked hand-in-hand to the Great Hall.

* * *

><p>*<em>This actually happened to me for that actual reason.<em>


	12. Ch 12: Seleneo

**Moonchild**

**Chapter 12**

_Seleneo_

"Professor McGonagall," Seleneo said at breakfast. "I was hoping I could schedule an appointment with you in your office. There's something I need to talk to you about."

"This afternoon, say 1.30?" suggested McGonagall.

"Sounds great, Professor," Seleneo said. Then he returned to the Ravenclaw table to find Luna waiting for him.

"What'd she say?" Luna asked nervously.

"I've got an appointment with her at 1.30. Like I said, you let us worry about it." _Excellent,_ Seleneo thought to himself, _now I can explain to McGonagall what's going on, and then I'll be scot-free._

"Well," said Luna, "I have to get to Slughorn's class, so I'll see you later then?"

"Sure thing," Seleneo agreed. _Now I'll have time to see if I can get what I need from Hagrid and then all I'll have to do is sneak out so I can apparate to London._

Seleneo bounded down the sloping Hogwarts lawn to Hagrid's hut. He knew someone must be home because as soon as he approached the door he could hear Fang barking like mad from inside.

"Down, Fang!" he heard Hagrid bellow from inside. Then the door opened to reveal the hairy mountain of man that was Rubeus Hagrid.

"Who are you?" Hagrid asked warily.

"My name's Seleneo Moonchild, Professor," he said. "I'm a grad student at the Salem Witches' Institute and I'm doing a study-abroad here at Hogwarts."

"What d'yeh want with me, then?" Hagrid said.

"I believe you can help me," Seleneo said with all the confidence in the world. "You see, I'm working on an advanced degree in Wandlore, and by extension wandmaking, and part of my thesis is wand cores. I was hoping you help me procure some materials for cores that I could experiment with."

"Is that so?" Hagrid seemed to mellow out a bit. "Tha's some pretty tricky stuff, tha' is. What'd yeh have in mind?"

"Pegasus feathers and tail hairs," Seleneo said. "I don't think those have ever been used in this part of the world. I think they have in Greece, probably. I'd be astounded if they haven't, to be honest. But I've never heard of anyone using those as cores, nor have I been able to uncover any evidence of it, at least not in Britain, so I thought I'd experiment, test the materials for core-quality and all that. It was my understanding that you were in possession of a stud of them, so I thought you should be the first person to go to."

"Sounds like yeh've got it all figgered out," said Hagrid. "Sure, I'd be happy ter do that for yeh, if it'll help yeh with yer degree. When d'yeh need 'em by?"

"The sooner the better," Seleneo said, "but the first draft of my thesis is due the thirteenth, so no later than then."

"Tell yeh what," said Hagrid. "Come back down here later today. If I don' have 'em for yeh by this afternoon sometime, come back tomorrow and yeh can get 'em during my classes. I'm startin' the Hufflepuffs on pegasi tomorrow so if I don' already have 'em, yeh can get 'em then."

"Thank you, Professor," Seleneo said with a slight bow, which in retrospect seemed a bit silly. "You have no idea how big of a help this is to me. I'll come back, say, four o'clock?"

"Sounds good," said Hagrid. "Well, I'll see yeh then." Hagrid shut the door, and Seleneo turned back to the castle so he jump in to wherever Flitwick was in his lesson.

* * *

><p>"Now," said Professor McGonagall once Seleneo had shut the door to her office, "what can I do for you, Mr. Moonchild?"<p>

"This came in the mail," Seleneo said. He showed her the most recent note from V. that Luna had received. "Luna Lovegood got this and was worried over its contents. I told her I'd bring it to your attention, but there's nothing to worry about."

"Let me see it," McGonagall said, and he handed her the noted. Her brow became more and more furrowed the more she read. When she was finished she handed it back to him. "I can certainly understand why she would be worried. Now, you say there is nothing to worry about. Where is your evidence?"

"Right here," Seleneo said, and he handed a small vial filled with a smoky gray fluid inside. "All the answers are right there in that memory."

McGonagall took it and regarded it carefully. "You say this memory holds all the answers," she stated, more to herself than to Seleneo. "Well, we shall see. You have used a Penseive before, I presume?"

"I own one, Professor," he said. "Normally I modify the spell so that I can relive memories rather than just review them, but since I knew already that I was going to be showing this one to you, I did the spell the normal way. Would you like me to go in there with you or do you want to do it alone?"

"I don't suppose it makes much of a difference," said McGonagall. "Come if you want, stay and wait for me, it's whichever you prefer."

"I'll come along," Seleneo decided. "That's why I bought my Penseive in the first place." McGonagall poured the memory out into her own Penseive, which used to belong to Albus Dumbledore, and let the contents swirl about for a moment. When they'd finally settled, they dove in. A moment later, they returned to the office.

"I see," said McGonagall. She scooped the memory out of the Penseive and returned it to its vial, which she handed back to Seleneo. "It looks like you've put a lot of thought into this plan."

"Yes, I have," said Seleneo. "That's why I asked for an audience with you today, Professor. Obviously the letter from V. was a pretext to set up this appointment, but that memory was what I really wanted you to see. Now I ask you this: will you allow the plan to proceed, or will you shut it down?"

"Normally I would shut something like this down in a heartbeat," said McGonagall. "So many school rules will be broken in the process, it isn't funny. On the other hand, the intention is good, and I'd hate to see all the time and planning go to waste. You may proceed."

"Thank you so much, Professor!" It took Seleneo everything he had to not jump up and down right there in her office. "And I swear to you, Professor, whatever rules I break in the process, I'll take the punishment for it. I'll even let Mr. Filch hang me from the ceiling by my wrists, as I know he would love to do."

"We'll discuss punishment after the fact," said Professor McGonagall. "For now let's pretend that I have no knowledge of what you plan to do. Oh, and Mr. Moonchild," she added as Seleneo was stepping through the door back to the spiral stairs outside her office door, "good luck."


	13. Ch 13: Seleneo

**Moonchild**

**Chapter 13**

_Seleneo_

The morning of November fourteenth had finally arrived. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, but Seleneo knew that something was going to happen tonight at midnight. V. had made that clear. Luna was already at breakfast when Seleneo arrived, and she looked like she was ready to be sick.

"What's the matter?" he asked when he sat down. "You look ill."

"You know what day it is, don't you?" she said, opening her mouth just barely enough to let the sound out. "It's November fourteenth."

"Yeah, so?"

"So?" Luna cried. "That's when V. said to be at the Astronomy tower! You never did tell me what McGonagall said to do."

"Oh!" Seleneo exclaimed. "Right, I'd almost forgotten about that. Well, she said she'd be watching the post that comes in, and I'll think you'll find that V. hasn't sent anything else since then." Just then an owl swooped down and dropped an envelope in front of Luna. She tore it open and read it over, and then thrust it at Seleneo.

"_Tonight's the night. Are you ready? –V."_

"Well, are you?" he asked.

"Are you mad?" Luna cried. "Some creep that I don't even know wants me to just go up to the Astronomy tower at midnight, and you're asking if I'm ready? It's like you're not even worried!"

"Well," he said, "I'm not, to be honest. You'll be fine. Even McGonagall said she thought it was just someone trying to scare you but that there wasn't any real danger. If it makes you feel better, I'll go up there with you."

"That would be wonderful," Luna said, still looking ill but not quite as so.

"Alright, well that's settled," said Seleneo. "If you'll excuse me for a moment, there's a certain trio of Gryffindors that I have business with. Filius wanted me to talk to them about their Charms work." Seleneo got up and headed over to the Gryffindor table without looking back at Luna.

"So, everything is a go, right?" he asked once he reached where Harry, Ron, and Hermione were seated.

"Yes," Harry said, "assuming you've taken care of your end of things. We're all ready."

"Ginny?" Seleneo said. "What about you? Are you in?"

"You bet," she said, beaming. "I can't wait!"

"Good," Seleneo said. "Very good." He turned to head back to the Ravenclaw table. "I'll see you then," he said, and went to rejoin Luna at their table.

* * *

><p>It was a very tense Saturday for Seleneo and Luna. He tried his best to reassure her that she was in no danger from this V. person, but she didn't seem to want to listen to him. That afternoon, as he and Luna were each doing their homework in the Ravenclaw common room, there came a knocking sound, which was soon revealed to be an owl pecking at the window. Luna let it inside, and it dropped an envelope in front of Seleneo. He took it, and it perched on the back of the sofa.<p>

"Fantastic," said Seleneo in a very unenthusiastic way. "Apparently Horace wants to see me in his office tonight. Says he has a lot of work for me to do, so I'll be lucky if I get out of there before one." He scrawled something on the back of the note and put it back in its envelope, which the owl took and flew away with. Then he took a second bit of parchment and scrawled a note on it. He got up and headed towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Luna asked in a very disappointed way.

"The owlery," Seleneo replied. "I made a deal with Ginny Weasley that if something happened and I couldn't get up to the Astronomy tower with you tonight that she'd take my place. I just have to send this to her so she knows." He stepped through the door and started down the spiral staircase that led to the rest of the school.

* * *

><p>That night, Seleneo headed up to the Astronomy tower. Luna and Ginny were already there, and he had to sprint to catch up with them.<p>

"Seleneo!" Luna said in surprise. "I thought you weren't going to be able to make it tonight."

"I told Slughorn what was going on, and he let me leave early," Seleneo gasped. "Said I could finish another night."

"So it looks like you have two bodyguards now," said Ginny coyly. Together the three of them headed up the steps to the Astronomy tower.

"Damn," said Ginny when she tried the door. "It's locked."

"No it isn't," said Seleneo, and he produced a set of keys from inside his robes. He tried several before one finally would turn, but he eventually got the door open.

"When did Sinistra give you a set of keys?" asked Luna. "I didn't think she even gave those out to other staff members."

"She doesn't," Seleneo said. "Last time I was at an Astronomy class she told me to lock up, and I did a Duplication Charm on her keys." With the door now open, the three of them headed up to the observation deck where V. would be waiting for Luna. When they were finally out under the open sky, there was no one to be seen.

"I don't get it," said Luna. "The note said to be here at midnight on the fourteenth, so where's V.?"

"You clearly didn't read that note carefully," said Seleneo, stepping away from the other two. As he did so, Ginny stepped back, leaving Luna on her own. "That note said 'he'll be waiting for you there', not 'I'll be waiting'. V. was talking about someone else."

"How do you know this?" Luna asked hesitantly.

"I know who V. is," he said simply. "That's how I knew you weren't in any danger. Now that you're up here, though, I'd like to show you something." He motioned her over to a telescope that was set up next to the parapets. "There's a very interesting celestial phenomenon occurring tonight. Look." He positioned the telescope so that she could see out to the starry heavens, and directed it so that it was facing a particularly bright object.

"What is that?" she asked, apparently having completely forgotten about being worried out of her wits just moments ago. "That doesn't look like anything Professor Sinistra had on our star charts."

"It's something much more amazing than anything she had you chart," he said. As he said this, the object in the telescope grew larger and larger until Luna was almost certain it would crash right into the tower. Before it did, Seleneo stepped in front of the lens, obscuring her field of vision.

"What are you doing?" she demanded. "I can't see."

Then Seleneo turned, and was delighted when he saw Luna's look of astonishment. In his hands was the most bizarre item, but Luna took it when he held it out to her as if it were the most priceless treasure on Earth.

"Is this what I think it is?" She seemed almost on the verge of tears.

"It may be," said Seleneo. "You see, I was at a loss. I wanted to make an impact, but I wasn't sure how, and then it hit me: help is always available at Hogwarts to those who ask for it. So I went to those certain Gryffindors for help – you can come out, by the way," he called out, and suddenly there appeared Hermione Granger standing next to Ginny, and off to the side were Harry and Ron both holding broomsticks. They all looked pleased. "Well, these three told me about the time they visited your dad, and how he was trying to reconstruct Ravenclaw's diadem. They described it to me, and, well, see for yourself. I did modify the design a bit, though," he said. Sure enough, the item she held in her hands was tantalizingly similar to the headdress that had once adorned Xenophilius Lovegood's bust of Rowena Ravenclaw. It was a brown leather headband that peaked in the center. In the center was also a large stone that shone remarkably in the moonlight. Even in the dark of night the prismatic colors that shone from it were visible. On either side radiating away from the central stone were stones of green, white, and blue. There were also a number of pure white feathers and red flowers with black centers.

"That one in the center is moonstone," Seleneo said, reveling in Luna's astonishment and pride in his work. "Then going outside is peridot, diamond, and sapphire. You did say you were born in August, right?"

"Yes," she said through a few tears.

"Excellent," said Seleneo. "I did some research before I put this all together. Those are all your birthstones; traditional, modern, mystical, and Ayurvedic. I don't remember what that last one is, but it seemed important."

"It refers to the ancient medicine and philosophy in India around 1500 BC," Hermione interjected. Ron shot her a reproving look.

"Really, Hermione?" he hissed. "Even I know better."

"Sorry," she whispered and took a step or so back.

"Anyhow," Seleneo continued, "the flowers are poppies since that's the birthflower for August, and the feathers came from a Pegasus."

"You shouldn't have!" Luna squealed, and threw herself on him. He staggered a bit, not quite expecting her sudden lunge, but he steadied himself quickly. "But I don't understand, Harry, Hermione, all these people…they all knew about this?"

"Very much, so," Seleneo said. "They helped me along the way. Harry and Ron helped me get out of the castle so I could apparate away to get the stones, Hermione had on Harry's Invisibility Cloak and was casting a disillusionment charm on the two of them while they flew it down here to the observation deck, but really you have Ginny to thank for all this actually happening."

"Is that so?" Luna inquired, and then turned to Ginny. "What hand did you play in all this?"

"I convinced him to do it," she said. "He sent me an owl during our Hogsmeade weekend. He wanted a reliable source to tell him whether or not he was wasting his time with this whole plan, and I told him he wasn't because it was true."

"I had originally thought I'd give you a necklace or something," Seleneo admitted, "but I think this screams Luna Lovegood much more than something so…mundane."

Luna put the headdress on, and to Seleneo's great relief it fit perfectly. While the item itself looked ridiculous, even to him, when it was on Luna's head it somehow looked oddly right, in some bizarre way. She turned to face the rest of her friends.

"Well," she said, wiping tears out of her eyes, "what do you think?"

"I think it's starting to get bloody cold out," said Ginny. "Do you plan on kissing him or what?"

"Yes, I think so," said Luna, and soon every nerve in Seleneo's body was surging with electricity as his lips met Luna's for the first time.


	14. Ch 14: Luna

**Moonchild**

**Chapter 14**

_Luna_

_What did last night mean?_ Luna wondered as she made her way to the Great Hall for breakfast. She had decided to wear her headdress that Seleneo had given her today, and she was drawing numerous bemused looks, but she paid them no mind, all except one. Neville stood out among the throng, staring incredulously at her. He got up from the Gryffindor table and hurried over to her before she'd even had a chance to sit down.

"What is that?" he asked, clearly trying to suppress whatever kind of emotions he might be feeling and sound amiable.

"Good morning to you too, Neville," she said dreamily. "As for this, it's Ravenclaw's diadem, of course. Dad was reconstructing it at home but it was destroyed. Seleneo made this one and gave it to me."

"Seleneo gave it to you, did he?" Neville said through gritted teeth, now plainly forcing himself to smile. "Well, that was thoughtful of him."

"Yes, I thought," Luna agreed.

"Right, well," Neville stammered, "I guess I'll see you later." He headed back to the Gryffindor table without a backwards glance.

Seleneo was already at the table when she sat down. He gave her a quizzical look, but said nothing. They ate in silence for a moment until finally Seleneo spoke.

"Longbottom didn't seem too pleased to see you," he said dryly.

"He did seem like something was troubling him," she agreed. Luna dared a glance back at the Gryffindor table where Neville was slouched over his plate.

"What all did he say?" Seleneo prodded.

"He just asked what this was," she said gesturing to her headdress. "I told him it was Ravenclaw's diadem and that's you'd given it to me, and then he left."

"Well, I bet I can guarantee why he's acting that way, if that's the case," Seleneo said darkly.

"You don't still think Neville still has feelings for me, do you?" she said. "I told you, he fancies Hannah Abbott."

"I'm sure he or somebody else told you that," Seleneo said, "but I don't think it's true."

"Think what you want," said Luna indifferently. "Pass the bacon, if you wouldn't mind."

That afternoon, Luna was in the library working on an essay for Professor Slughorn over the properties of Dirigible Plums in potion-making. Luna found this to be exceedingly easy considering there was a patch of Dirigible Plums right outside her house, but wanted her essay to be well-written regardless. As she was citing an excerpt out of one of the books on her table, she overheard two familiar voices nearby.

"…just don't get it," said the first one, a male voice. It sounded so familiar, at first she thought it was Neville, _but he wouldn't dare talk in the library and risk Madame Pince_, she thought_._

"What do you want me to do?" asked another voice, this one female. _I swear,_ Luna thought, _that has to be Ginny Weasley._

"I dunno," said the first. "I don't get what she sees in him. I mean, you've seen him around. He's _weird_."

"So what?" demanded the second. "He obviously makes her happy, so who cares how weird he is. You shouldn't, I know that."

"I know I shouldn't," he said, whoever _he_ was, "but I do."

"What about Hannah?" she said. _Hannah?_ thought Luna, and she actually looked up from her work at this point. _Hannah who?_ "You were going on and on about her just the other day."

"Of course I was," he said. "She was right there! What else could I have said?"

"Good point," she conceded. "Still, I don't see what you want me to do."

"I guess I want you to agree with me," said the boy. "I want you to agree, and tell me that things will turn out the way I want them to, and I want it to be true."

"Well, I'm afraid I can't tell you that, Neville," she insisted. _Neville_, thought Luna. _No, not Neville Longbottom. It must be some other Neville. Surely there's plenty of Nevilles at this school_.

"It's just that," Neville continued, "I thought I was okay with how things are, but ever since that Hogsmeade trip…you know?" _Oh no,_ Luna sighed inside. _It is Neville Longbottom_. It was right about that time when Seleneo appeared and sat down at Luna's table. He had a smile on his face, but not a happy one, and there was no joy in his eyes.

"I hate to say I told you so," he said, "but I told you so."


	15. Ch 15: Luna

**Moonchild**

**Chapter 15**

_Luna_

"Yes, Ms. Lovegood?" inquired Professor Lupin when Luna approached his desk after Transfiguration that afternoon.

"I was hoping I could make an appointment for your office hours," she said.

"Well, what have you got going on the rest of the day?" he asked. "I haven't got any more classes to teach today, so I can take you now if you want and have the time."

"That would be fantastic," she said. "I've got a problem in a big way."

"Alright, well we can go up to my office or we can stay right here…" He paused for a moment. "Actually, better go to the office, I think. I haven't got a teapot down here."

* * *

><p>Once Luna and Lupin were in his office with piping cups of tea, Lupin turned his attention to Luna.<p>

"Now then," he said, "what's troubling you?"

"Boys," Luna said flatly.

"Ah, yes, they can be troublesome," Lupin chuckled. "Being one myself, I can attest to that."

"There's two of them, and they both fancy me, and I thought I knew what was going on but now I'm not sure anymore."

"I'm assuming one of these boys is Mr. Moonchild?"

"Yes," she admitted. "How did you know that?"

"Well, I seem to recall a similar conversation we had on the subject of him," Lupin said. "However, we would hardly have needed to have it for me to know that now. It's obvious the way he looks at you. We see more from the staff table than you might think," he added after noticing the quizzical look she gave him.

"Well, yes," Luna said. "He's how I got this," she said and pointed to her headdress. "He said he heard about the reproduction of Ravenclaw's diadem and crafted this one. It's got all my birthstones, poppies, and Pegasus feathers."

"You seem very pleased with it," Lupin noted.

"Of course I am!" Luna cried. "No one but Dad's ever given me a gift like this before. It means something, you know? He put a lot of thought into it."

"So it seems," Lupin admitted. "He certainly does seem to want to impress you in a way that only you will appreciate. So who is the other lad competing for your affection?"

"Neville Longbottom," she admitted.

"I presumed as much," Lupin said. "He looks at you the same way Seleneo does."

"That's the problem," Luna said. "We had tried being a thing over the summer and it just fell apart. We agreed we'd just go back to how things used to be and we'd be fine. He'd even said he fancied someone else."

"He told you that, did he?"

"Well…no, actually he didn't," Luna admitted. "I heard it from Ginny Weasley, who heard it from him. I thought had told her the truth, but in the library earlier I heard them talking about me."

"Talking about you how?" Lupin probed.

"They never actually said my name," Luna said, "but Neville said he had fancied someone else until the last Hogsmeade visit."

"I'm assuming he asked you to go with him," Lupin said. "I saw you two leaving the castle together that day, so I connected the dots."

"Well, yes," Luna admitted. "Seleneo got jealous, I think, and I told him Neville just asked me because he was used to being around me. Seleneo's said all along that he still fancied me."

"It appears he was right, then," Lupin said. "So now, I'm assuming your problem is not that these two young men both desperately desire your affection, but that you don't know to whom to give it."

"Yes!" Luna exclaimed. "I mean, on the one hand, Seleneo is sweet, and he's caring, and still a bit mysterious, and he's smart and attractive…but Neville is too, and I know him, but it didn't work out before and I'm not sure that he'd be willing to go the distance."

"What exactly do you mean by 'go the distance'?"

"Well, ok," Luna said. "When I leave Hogwarts I want to go and discover the Crumple-Horned Snorkack."

"The what?" Lupin interjected.

"I'll have Dad send you a copy of the Quibbler with an article about it in there," Luna said hurriedly. "Anyhow, I plan to go all over the world if I have to, but I'll find it once and for all. Neville has never expressed any kind of idea of what he wants to do, at least not to me. I know he stepped up during the Second War, but he's sort of gone back to how he was."

"And you think Seleneo has the kind of ambition that Neville lacks?"

"I think so," Luna said. "He told me he wants to experiment with materials and wand cores, and is supposed to do an apprenticeship with Ollivander at some point."

"And you like the idea of Seleneo having a plan for life after school," Lupin suggested.

"Well, yes," said Luna. "I mean, I know plenty of people who are in their last years here and still don't really know what they want to do. The fact that he was willing to leave his country to achieve his goal says something to me."

"I see," Lupin said, and rested his chin in his hands. "My suggestion to you, then, is to devise a T-chart listing the pros and cons of each gentleman and then weigh them against each other. Then, of course, you also have to take into consideration that Seleneo will, eventually, go home."

"I have thought about that," Luna admitted. "That's what makes all this so hard. What if things go fantastically with Seleneo but then he leaves and I never see him again?"

"What if, indeed," Lupin pondered. "I suppose that's the risk one takes in this sort of thing."

"I suppose once Seleneo goes back to the States I could still pick things up with Neville if he's still interested by then," she mused.

"Could you?" Lupin asked. "For one thing, he may be here for more or less time than you think. Neville may well have moved on by the time Seleneo goes home. Furthermore, if you choose Seleneo, how will Neville react? Will he accept defeat and remain your friend, or will he turn his back on you out of a sense of betrayal?"

"Neville would never turn his back on me," Luna argued.

"I'm glad you are so confident," Lupin said, "but unwavering loyalty is a Hufflepuff trait. Gryffindors are quite capable of turning their backs on their friends. Peter Pettigrew was proof of that."

"You're one to talk of betrayal," Luna said defiantly, suddenly very hot in her cheeks. "You're a Slytherin."

"I am a Slytherin, yes," said Lupin, "but as I've said, there are good Slytherins. Professor Slughorn is proof, and I hope I have been as well. Severus Snape even turned out to be one in the end. Unfortunately we are stuck with our reputation of being selfish and uncaring as to the needs of others. However, there are times when one needs to be selfish. This, I think, is one of those times."

"What do you mean?" Luna asked warily.

"Think about it," Lupin said. "Would you rather be with someone who makes you truly happy, or someone who you're never fully satisfied with?"

"I want to be truly happy," she admitted.

"Of course you do, that's what we all want for ourselves," Lupin said. "The point is, when you decide who that person is, do not spare the feelings of anyone else. Make your choice and embrace it. If the other is hurt by your decision, let him be hurt."

"So you're saying I shouldn't care what happens to whoever I don't choose."

"I didn't say that," said Lupin. "You can care, I wouldn't expect you not to. My point is, you mustn't let that bother you. I have a feeling that both these young men will be devastated should you choose the other, but that is an unfortunate by-product that can't be avoided. There is no way to please everyone all the time."

"I guess so," Luna said, very downcast.

"I can see I've only made things worse," said Lupin. "If you'd like I could perform a Memory Charm and we could start this meeting over."

"That won't be necessary," said Luna. "In the back of my mind I knew that it would come down to this, but I didn't want it to be true."

"I know it's difficult to think of yourself when you want to the least," said Lupin. "When I went into hiding, I wanted desperately to try to convince Remus to come with me. Think of it, he might still be alive if he had, but he made his choice. He chose to fight, and that's very admirable. I also had wildly thought that perhaps I could fight with him – I know I've told you this before – but I know my weaknesses, and dueling is one of them. I would be of no use, and I would die. Obviously I chose self-preservation, just as a Slytherin would, but it wasn't because that's what I preferred…but I digress. I'm afraid I can't help you further, Ms. Lovegood, but this is a problem only you can solve."

"I guess so," Luna said. "Well, I guess I should go. I have some thinking to do, it seems."

_Have I ever got some thinking to do_, she said to herself as she left the office and headed towards the Great Hall.


	16. Ch 16: Seleneo

**Moonchild**

**Chapter 16**

_Seleneo_

"I won't be able to meet you for lunch," Seleneo said as he and Luna headed towards Flitwick's classroom. "I have a meeting with Professor McGonagall about my internship with Ollivander."

"You know when you're doing that?" Luna asked. Seleneo was pleased to see that she had decided to wear her headdress for the second day in a row.

"No, that's what this meeting is about," said Seleneo. "If I can get away with it I want to see if I can't finish out the year here at school and then start with Ollivander next fall."

"Well that'd be good," said Luna. "Then you'd have a whole year with the best wandmaker in Britain."

"That's what I'm thinking," said Seleneo. "Plus, you could write me the Hogsmeade weekends and I could transfer to the Hogsmeade branch those weeks."

"Sounds like you've got it all figured out," said Luna.

_Not hardly_, thought Seleneo.

* * *

><p>"So," said Minerva McGonagall sharply, "I presume you know why you are here."<p>

"To discuss my internship with Ollivander's, I hope," said Seleneo.

"Yes," she affirmed. "I have spoken with Mr. Ollivander and he is more than willing to accept you as an intern. My first question, then, is if you had a particular start date in mind? He said he could take you as soon as next term."

"I've thought about it," said Seleneo, "and I almost think it would be better to start in the fall. I mean, if I started in January, I'd only be there for one term and then I'd be going back home for two and a half months, so I'd have plenty of time to forget everything I'd have learned from working with him. If I come back and do it in the fall, at least I'd have a whole year with him without too much interruption."

"Good point," admitted McGonagall. "We'll take that into consideration. Now, my next question –"

"Professor!" called someone from behind Seleneo. He turned to see professor Slughorn in the doorway. "Professor, you need to come quick. We've got a situation that requires your attention. There's no time to explain!"

"Very well, Horace," said McGonagall, and she got up from her desk. "Mr. Moonchild, I trust I can leave you here alone without you breaking anything?"

"Of course," said Seleneo. "Go do whatever you need to do, Professor."

She hurried out of the office behind Slughorn, and so there was Seleneo alone in her office. He'd been in here before but had never really gotten to take it all in before. There were tables covered in bizarre silver instruments that whirred and smoked. There was an impossible number of books covering every inch of the walls, and on top of one of the bookshelves, there laid the Sorting Hat.

"I wonder…" Seleneo thought out loud. He got up and removed the Sorting Hat from its resting place. Then he sat back down and put it on.

"Well, well," said a small voice inside his head. "So you're the foreigner. Yes, I've heard of you. I've heard you talk, even. There isn't much that goes on in this school that I don't hear about, you know. So I imagine you're wondering, since you've put me on, what house you would've been in had I sorted you like everyone else."

"Yes, I was wondering that," Seleneo admitted.

"Of course you were, it's right here in your head…not the first time I've said that. Now let's take a look, shall we?" The hat went silent for a moment. Then it spoke again. "It appears they made a good choice by putting you in Ravenclaw. What a brain you've got! A very fine one, I must admit, and I couldn't tell you how many brains I've seen. Actually I could tell you if I thought about it, but who has the time, really? Yes, you'll definitely do well when academia is concerned. Ah, but while this all holds true, I see a serpent inside you, boy. Yes, a fine Slytherin you would've made, too. Hmm…I believe, for once, that I may be stumped. You seem to be straddling the line between Ravenclaw and Slytherin. I'll have to think about this…I'm not sure where I would've placed you if you had gone through the Sorting with the rest of the First Years."

"Fantastic," Seleneo sighed. "So essentially I'm an evil genius."

"I didn't say that," retorted the Hat. "Slytherin holds the ideals of cunning, resourcefulness, and self-preservation in high esteem. I can see you possess all those qualities. You also have a desire to prove yourself in some way, although why you would still wish this is beyond me. You have more than proved yourself to the staff and the members of your own house, as well as some from other houses. I think Ravenclaw is a good place for you, though. It will stimulate your mind in a way that Slytherin could not. Remember these words, though: Slytherin has his reputation, _but he isn't always evil, and he is not always wrong*_. Now, quickly, put me back. Minerva approaches."

Seleneo placed the Sorting Hat back where it was and sat back down just in time for McGonagall to walk through the door.

"Right, now that's settled," she said as she strode back over to her desk. "So, where were we?"

* * *

><p>Seleneo sat with Luna that night at dinner just like he always did, but it was a struggle not to tell her straight away about his meeting with McGonagall, both the good and the bad.<p>

"So what's Luna's day been like?" Seleneo asked as they tucked into smoked salmon.

"Luna's day has been uneventful," Luna replied. "Luna is ok with this."

"Good, good," Seleneo said, attempting to keep the conversation light. "Ok, I can't keep this up," he said finally. "I have something to tell you."

Luna looked up at this, worry full in her eyes. "What?" she asked.

"I had my meeting with McGonagall," he continued, "and it turns out…I'll be starting at Ollivander's next fall."

"That's good!" said Luna, clearly relieved.

"Yes," said Seleneo, and then his eyes darkened, "but there's something else, too. McGonagall had to leave her office at one point, so I was in there by myself. I put the Sorting Hat on while she was gone, and I think if I'd gone through the Sorting like a First Year it would've put me in Slytherin."

"Well," Luna said, only the faintest trace of apprehension in her eyes, "that's not awful. I mean, Slytherin isn't like it used to be."

"It's still enough like it was to be a bad thing," Seleneo sighed. "Thing is, it makes sense considering the things I've done in the past."

"The past is over," said Luna. "It's pointless to dwell on it."

"The hat said something else, too," Seleneo continued. "It said, 'Slytherin has his reputation, but he isn't always evil and he is not always wrong.' What do you suppose that means?"

"We'll see," she replied.

* * *

><p>*From the song "The Stranger", by Billy Joel<p> 


	17. Ch 17: Seleneo

**Moonchild**

**Chapter 17**

_Seleneo_

A few weeks passed uneventfully, and it was now nearing the Christmas holidays. The sign-up list had already been put up on the notice board in Ravenclaw Tower as to who would be staying at Hogwarts and who would be going home.

"You're not going home?" Luna inquired when she saw Seleneo's name on the list for those who were staying in the castle.

"What would be the point?" he replied fairly downcast. "I'd spend X number of days travelling, and then I'd have to turn right back around and do it again. I wouldn't even have that much time off."

"Christmas holidays are two weeks," Luna reminded him.

"Here they are," he said. "The semester at SWI doesn't end until the twenty-third. So, I'd still have to finish out the semester in person, and then I'd have to be back here at the start of January. It wouldn't be worth it."

"I guess you have a point…" Luna cast a look around the common room, as if searching for some alternative laying around on the sofa or something. "Hey!" she exclaimed suddenly, causing Seleneo to jump. "Why don't I write Dad and see if he's ok with you staying with us?"

"You think he'll be ok with that?"

"Hard to say," she admitted. "Our house isn't very big, but I'm sure we could figure something out."

"Ok, yeah, that sounds great," Seleneo said. He wasn't entirely sure how he felt about that; on the one hand, that'd be two weeks he'd have Luna all to himself. On the other, that was two weeks he'd have her dad to himself, too. _I may just stay at the castle anyhow_, Seleneo thought as they headed down for breakfast.

* * *

><p>As he was leaving the Great Hall, Seleneo was stopped by Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Seleneo immediately felt a pang of guilt when it occurred to him that he hadn't spoken to any of them since the fourteenth of November. Based on what happened next, that didn't seem to matter much.<p>

"Got a second?" Harry called after Seleneo as he was leaving the Great Hall. He stopped and turned to see who had beckoned, and consented to hear what Harry had to say. "Yes," he replied.

"Good," said Harry. "We were talking about it, the three of us, and we thought if you wanted you could come spend the holiday with us." Seleneo gave him a puzzled look. "I inherited a pretty big house from my godfather," Harry explained, "so I'm having the Weasleys and the Grangers over for the holidays, and I'd heard that you were staying here and so I thought if you wanted you could come stay with us."

"Interesting," Seleneo mused. "I'll have to give this some thought. If you haven't got an owl from me by the end of the week you'll know I've declined, assuming I haven't caught you in person by then."

"Alright, sounds good," said Harry, and he and his flanks headed off towards the dungeons.

_God forbid anything be simple_, Seleneo thought to himself on his way up to Flitwick's classroom.

* * *

><p>"So…I have a problem," Seleneo began once he had reunited with Luna at dinner. "You invited me to spend the holiday at your place, but then right afterwards so did Harry Potter, so now I dunno what to do. On the one hand, I do want to go with you because, well, duh. But then on the other, it would be nice to have other friends at Hogwarts who are just friends and nothing more than that."<p>

"Well, that would be disappointing for you not to come," Luna said, "but it would do you good to have someone to hang around with other than me." She paused for a moment. "Tell you what, you go on and go with them."

"Are you sure?" Seleneo asked. "I mean, I don't have to."

"Go," Luna insisted. "I'll be fine, I promise."

"Well, you're certainly taking this better than I had expected," Seleneo admitted. _A little too well_, he admitted in his head.

"I just don't see the point in getting all worked up about it," she said. "I mean, it's like you said, it'd be good for you to have other friends besides me, and it's not like I'll never see you again."

"Yeah," Seleneo mused. "That's true. Well, you about ready to head back up to the common room?"

"No," she said, "but I need to. I've got a lot of work to get done."

"I know," he said with a smile, his eyes holding something almost akin to sadness (he hoped she didn't notice). "If you'll recall, I've been helping you with quite a bit of it."

"I know," she said, and gave him that look that made his heart pang with guilt that she was his and not someone's that might actually deserve her company. He took her hand in his, and together they headed back toward the west tower up to the Ravenclaw common room.

_Yep_, he thought. _Nothing can ever be simple, can it?_


	18. Ch 18: Luna

_Hey people. I know it's been a long time since I updated this one, and I'm glad to be able to get back to it. I hope you enjoy it like I do. Reviews are appreciated, and I don't own HP._

* * *

><p><strong>Moonchild<strong>

**Chapter 18**

_Luna_

When Christmas morning arrived, Luna awoke to her familiar circular room at the top of the house, which had been rebuilt in exactly the same fashion as it had been before its destruction. Seleneo had elected to spend the holiday at 12 Grimmauld Place, which she had assured him for the hundredth time was perfectly alright. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and descended into the rest of the house.

The tree was much larger than one might expect to find in a house like the Lovegoods'; Xenophilius had magically altered the sitting room to have more space inside than the outside would normally have allowed. Beneath it, she found a modest pile of presents.

"Happy Christmas, precious," said Xenophilius when Luna entered the room.

"Happy Christmas, Dad."

"I made pumpkin bread," said Xeno. "It's a bit out of season but I know how well you like it."

Together they had tea and pumpkin bread. All the while, Xeno bombarded her with questions of how the first term had been. He listened intently as she told him all about what was happening at Hogwarts this year.

"So, to change the subject," said Xeno, after Luna ran out of steam for a moment, "will this young man you mentioned be joining us today? You said he can apparate, correct?"

"I'm not sure," Luna admitted. "He's visiting my Gryffindor friends for the holiday, but he might pop in."

"I should like to meet him," said Xeno. "And he's American, you say?"

"He is," she said. "You know at the start of the year he wouldn't speak to anyone because he didn't want anyone to hear his accent?"

"Well it is rather silly, isn't it?" Xeno noticed the reproachful look she gave him. "Just kidding, poppet."

"He fakes a British one, now," she added.

"It's a shame he isn't here," said Xeno. "I'd have a good long talk with him about embracing one's true self, regardless of how it might be perceived by others."

"That's what I told him," she said. "I just – oh, look!" She was interrupted by a large snowy owl pecking at the window. In its talons it carried a brightly-colored parcel.

"What's this?" said Mr. Lovegood as he took the parcel from the owl; he dropped a few sickles into the pouch tied to its leg. He turned it over. "It's for you," he said once he'd found the address label.

"For me?" she said bemusedly as she took the package from her dad. She tore open the wrapping and inside found a book with a note attached to it.

"_Thought you might get a kick out of this. Merry Christmas. – S.K.M._" she read aloud. The note had been attached to a small, thick leather bound book. Across the front cover and down the spine, the title read _A Guide to Magical Fauna of North America_, by Engelbert Dishman.

"What is it, poppet?" asked Xeno. She showed him the book. "Oh, that's fantastic! Simply fascinating. It's just a shame he didn't come so he could've given it to you in person."

"I know," said Luna, "but staying at Harry's will be good for him."

"I'm surprised Harry didn't invite you, too," said her dad. "I'm glad you're here with me, but still."

"I'm not surprised," said Luna. "He knows I've got you, and with mum being gone, and especially after all that happened last year…"

"He's a good friend," said Xeno.

"He is," Luna agreed. "I think he understands better than most because of how difficult it was for him growing up. Being forced to live around Muggles for eleven years, and then six more summers after that, I think he knows how Seleneo must feel being an American at a British school."

"Is that necessarily a bad thing?"

"No," said Luna. "It makes him unique. That's something he should revel in, instead of trying to hide it like he does."

"Now you're starting to sound like yourself," said her dad. He grinned. "I'll be honest, I was starting to worry a bit. Ever since the Second War ended, you've become quite popular. That's a good thing, but I'd noticed that you had started worry about what others thought of you, or worry about the future. At least it seemed that way to me."

"I suppose I had," Luna said, just now realizing it. "I hadn't realized. I guess I got caught up in the idea of being liked."

"And that's alright," said her dad, "just remember: be who you are, not who you think others want you to be. It's just like that Muggle author Dr. Seuss wrote: 'the ones who mind don't matter, and the ones who matter don't mind'."

"You're right," said Luna. She smiled. "I guess I let my guard down against Wrackspurts and my brain went fuzzy."

"That's my girl."


	19. Ch 19: Luna

_Two chapters in one day. It's good to have a chance to come back to this story that I've missed working on. Glad to be over the writer's block, for a while at least. Still don't own HP._

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><p><strong>Moonchild<strong>

**Chapter 19**

_Luna_

"So how was your Christmas?" Luna asked Ginny on the train back to Hogwarts.

"Pretty good," she said. "Got another Weasley sweater, of course. It's just not the same without Fred, you know?"

"Yes and no," said Luna. "I've been without mum since I was little, but she's also been gone long enough that I'm as used to it as I can be. It's still fresh for you, and I'm sorry for that."

"Thanks," said Ginny. "You're a good friend."

"Hey, Ginny, Luna," said Harry as he entered the compartment. "Sorry I'm late, I was harassing Neville and Dean, but then Hannah showed up and, well, you know…" He let his voice trail off. "So you have a good Christmas?" he asked. "How's your dad?"

"He's well," Luna said. "He's still not a hundred percent after all that happened last year. Physically he's fine but I think it'll take a while for his mind to recover. I think it was very traumatic for him, especially since I'd been kidnapped for so long."

"Affected him how?" asked Ginny, now suddenly concerned.

"Well, just last week he ran an article in _The Quibbler_ about the alarming rate at which the Bargamiggus population in Britain is growing."

"Sooooo…" Harry said, wary of what Luna might say. "What exactly is a Bargamiggus?"

"Nothing," she said. "They aren't real."

"So it's one of those like Nargles and the Crumple-Whatever?"

"No, Nargles and the Crumple-Horned Snorkack are real," said Luna. "Bargamigguses – Bargamiggi? – anyhow, they're something he's just invented in his brain."

"So then he's got Wrackspurts in his brain, you might say?" asked Ginny, who tapped Harry's foot with her own.

"I'm afraid it's worse than Wrackspurts," Luna sighed. "It'll be sorted in the end though, I'm sure. So how was your visit then, Harry?"

"It was good," he said. "Of course the Weasley clan was all there, even Percy. We had to get another goose, though, because Bill doesn't eat cooked meat anymore. All the Grangers were there, too, which was good. I think I told you that at the beginning of last year she altered her parents' memory so that they forgot they had a daughter; well, she tracked them down in New South Wales and reversed it. I don't think they knew what to think at first, but they got used to the atmosphere after a while."

"It was a tight fit. Me, nine Weasleys, and three Grangers, but we did it."

"I thought…" Luna started, but then stopped herself.

"So did we," said Ginny, anticipating what Luna was about to say. "He acted like he wanted to, but we never did get an owl from him. We assuming he was spending the holiday with you."

"No," said Luna, her brow furrowing. "He did send a gift, but he wasn't there. I thought he was with you." Just then Ron and Hermione entered the compartment, free from their prefect and Head Girl duties.

"What's wrong, Luna?" Hermione asked after they had all exchanged greetings.

"Just thinking," Luna said placidly.

"Which means," Ginny explained, "that she's trying to reason out why Seleneo lied to us about how he was spending Christmas."

"Oh, that bloke who works for Flitwick?" Ron asked, with all his usual tactlessness. "Yeah, he's a dick."

"_Ron!_" Hermione scolded.

"Well, he is," Ron said sheepishly.

"I think I may have to agree with Ron on this one," said Luna. "I just can't understand why he would lie to me, or any of you." She sat for a moment, until eventually the creases in her brow smoothed out, and she looked content. "What am I getting upset about?" she said. "I'm sure he has a reason."

"It'd better be a good one," Ginny said, crossing her arms.

"Don't be angry with him, too," Luna said.

"Of course we will be," said Hermione. "We're your friends, Luna."

"I'll beat him up if I need to," said Ron.

"No you won't," Hermione snapped. "You're a prefect, Ron."

"I'm not," said Harry, "and if my entire school career is any indication, I obviously don't care to get in trouble."

"You won't either, Harry," Hermione snapped. "For one thing, I'd still have to report you, but I also don't think he's worth getting in trouble over if he's going to act like that."

"I'm sure it's a misunderstanding anyhow," said Luna, having remembered the conversation she had with her father at Christmas, and remembering how Seleneo had been first term. "Besides, you're both legal adults now, so you'd be committing a crime. I'll find out what was going on, and then everything will be alright. Now look, here comes the trolley." She fished around for her coin purse. "My treat."

* * *

><p>It was not as easy as Luna had thought it would be, though, once they were back at Hogwarts. Seleneo had not been on the train, nor had he been waiting at Hogsmeade Station for them to arrive, it seemed. It was already late, so there was little point in looking for him around the castle. The only thing left to do was head up to the tower.<p>

"This old one runs forever," said the door knocker to Ravenclaw tower, "but never moves at all. He has not lungs nor throat, but still a mighty roaring call. What is it?"

"Stepped up your game, I see," said Luna as she thought about it. "I think I've got it. Is it…a waterfall?"

"Rowena would have liked you," said the knocker, and the door swung back to allow her entry.

The common room was mostly empty; many had already gone up to bed. Seleneo, it seemed, was one of them, since he was nowhere to be found. _I guess I'll just have to find him at breakfast, then_, she thought as she headed up to the girl's dormitory.

But she did not find him at breakfast, nor did she find him at any meal the next day. She did not see him in the halls, or in the Charms classroom. On the surface, it seemed as though he had vanished.

* * *

><p>"Thanks for seeing me on such short notice, professor," said Luna.<p>

"Always a pleasure, Ms. Lovegood," said Romulus Lupin. "I've always got time for those who need it. Now, sugar and crème, as I recall?"

"Yes, please."

"Good, because I'd already fixed it." He offered her the teacup. "Now, I'll bet I can guess what's troubling you."

"And I'll bet that you're right," said Luna between sips. "I'm sure he has a reason for avoiding me, but it's quite disappointing."

"You seem to be taking it rather well, though."

"I suppose so," she said. "I know in my mind that the universe will work itself out; it always does. I just can't understand why this particular wrinkle occurred in the first place, and I can't find the cause of it to find out."

"I think I might know why," said Lupin, "although I won't pretend to fully understand. I've had many similar talks with him, just as I have with you. I won't tell you the things he's told me, just as I won't tell him the things we've talked about, but I will say this: if it is important enough to you, just keep faith. He did ask me to give this to you, though." He handed Luna a note. "I imagine he suspected you would come to me at some point."

She took it and read:

_Luna,_

_Forgive me for everything. Hogwarts was fine until I came here. You were happy. I stained all of that. I saw you, and thought only of what I wanted and never of what you might want. All the great things I imagined about you were true, and I've come to realize that, because of it, no matter how badly I might want to be, I'm not who you deserve. Try to forget me._

_ S.K.M_


	20. Ch 20: Seleneo

_I don't own HP._

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><p><strong>Moonchild<strong>

**Chapter 20**

_Seleneo_

_What on earth was I thinking_, Seleneo thought as he made his way down to the dungeon for his potions class. _It's for the best, though. She'll see_.

"Evening, Mr. Moonchild," professor Slughorn greeted him as he entered the potions room.

"Good evening to you, Professor," Seleneo answered. "So what are we doing tonight?"

"I've got an excellent one planned for tonight," Slughorn said gleefully. "It's called the Night-Eye potion, and it allows the drinker to see perfectly without a light source. Until the effect wears off, course."

"Ingredients and instructions are on the board, I see," Seleneo observed, "as per the usual."

Seleneo got to work on his Night-Eye potion, although his performance was less than his best. His thoughts kept wandering, and settling on a blonde girl in Ravenclaw tower who, if she were as smart as she should've been given her house, had put him out of her mind and moved on.

At 11:30, Slughorn interrupted Seleneo's work. "Mr. Moonchild, it's getting close to midnight. You know the spell for locking, right?"

"I do."

"Good. I trust you to lock up when you're finished, then. You can keep working as long as you need to. Just leave a vial of the finished product stoppered and labeled on my desk so I'll find it in the morning."

"I can do that."

"Very good." Slughorn looked around absently. "Well, good evening." He then strode out the door toward his flat.

_Hmmmm_, Seleneo thought.

* * *

><p>"There he is," the familiar, dreamy voice said as it floated over to him. "Where have you been recently?"<p>

"Oh, around, you know," he said half-heartedly. "Busy schedule and all that." _There was no avoiding her, at least not right now._

"I understand," Luna said, and sat down next to him. "Listen, I know you don't want to, but we need to talk." _Dear God, there's those words again_. "Professor Lupin delivered the note you gave him to give to me."

"Yes, and?" Seleneo said, deliberately not meeting her gaze. "I think you'll find it was all pretty self-explanatory."

"It was," Luna said, "but it isn't true. I know you think so, but in spite that impressive brain – and it is – you're wrong this time. But listen, I know what it feels like to be different than everyone else, and I know it's difficult, but have faith. I'll give you time, because I know that's what you need. Just keep faith." She squeezed his hand, and then got up from the table. As much as he didn't want to admit it, he did feel a little better.

The feeling didn't last long, though. Throughout the day, as class after class came and went from the Charms classroom, he saw countless hands being held and kisses being shared. One of those happened to be between Harry and Ginny, although he tried to appear as though he didn't see. _That Weasley girl is lucky,_ Seleneo thought. _He's got something to offer her, even if he weren't The Boy-Who-Lived. He has character. She's got a reason to want to be with him. She's lucky_. Just then, Ginny marched right up to him.

"Seleneo," she said.

"Yes?"

"I saw you talking to Luna this morning."

"Yes, I imagine you did," he said.

"I've got my eye on you," she said threateningly. "She's my friend. Don't you dare hurt her, got it?"

"I hope you aren't threatening me," he said coolly. "I have just as much power as a prefect. Keep that in mind." She returned to where Harry was waiting for her without another word.

"What was all that about?" asked Filius Flitwick, once everyone else had left.

"It's a long story," Seleneo sighed.

* * *

><p>That evening at dinner was much like when he and Luna had first met. Neither of them spoke, but they did steal glances from each other. It wasn't a cold silence, but it wasn't entirely comfortable either. Every so often he caught a threatening look from the Gryffindor table as well.<p>

As he was leaving the Great Hall to head up to the Astronomy tower, he was stopped by one Harry Potter.

"Hey, listen, about earlier," he began.

"Yes?" Seleneo responded coolly.

"I wanted to apologize about Ginny," he said. "You know how she can get. Redhead and all…"

"For one thing, no, I don't really know how she can get because I don't really know her, do I?" Seleneo turned his eyes to the floor. "But furthermore, there's no point worrying about it. None of you. There are much more important things for you to think about than me. That goes for all of you, and I mean _all_ of you." He strode off without another word.


	21. Ch 21: Luna

_It's good to have inspiration come back to this story after it had set for so long. I couldn't get past the writer's block, but thankfully I'm past it now. Reviews aren't expected but they will be appreciated. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Lastly, of course, I don't own HP._

* * *

><p><strong>Moonchild<strong>

**Chapter 21**

_Luna_

_I hope he snaps out of this soon_, Luna thought as she made her way to Defense Against the Dark Arts. _I know he needs time, but I do wish he needed less of it._

The DADA class came and went fairly uneventfully. The Ravenclaws and the Gryffindors had been focusing on wards that would reflect a spell back at the caster. Their homework was to practice with wards, attempting to progressively decrease their casting time.

"Too bad we didn't work with these spells a few years ago," Ginny said as she and Luna walked towards the grand staircase as they headed for lunch. "They would've come in handy at the Ministry."

"Quite," Luna agreed. As they rounded the corner, they were met with a terrible sight.

"Ginny!" Luna cried as they rushed over to where Seleneo lay. "Ginny, go get help, quick! The library's right there, go get Madame Pince!"

After a few hectic minutes, Seleneo was being moved to the hospital wing. Luna noticed a small handful of berries on the floor where Seleneo had lain; she pocketed some of them to see what they were.

* * *

><p>"You can sit if you want," Madame Pomfrey said, "but there won't be much point. We're keeping him unconscious until the poison is completely out of his system."<p>

"That's alright," Luna said. Madame Pomfrey gave her an understanding nod and then led her to where Seleneo lay. He was, as Madame Pomfrey had said, unconscious, and covered in sweat. Luna sat in the chair next to his bed and took his hand in hers. It was hot and clammy, very unlike how she remembered his hands to be.

"What happened to you," she said softly. She knew he wouldn't wake even if she'd shouted at him; Madame Pomfrey had him out like a light. Still, she felt like she should be quite. She sat for a long time until finally she couldn't stay any longer without being late to class. She brushed his hair back and kissed his forehead. "I'll come back, moon boy."

* * *

><p>Come back she did. Every evening she would go and sit with Seleneo until Madame Pomfrey kicked her out. She requested that Madame Pomfrey let her know when Seleneo was awake, and soon enough, that day arrived. Luna nearly sprinted there the first chance she got.<p>

"Luna…" Seleneo said quietly as she entered.

"Seleneo Kavouri Moonchild, what the _FUCK!_" she shouted, very uncharacteristic of her, and earning a scolding from Madam Pomfrey.

"Luna, what on earth?" Seleneo moaned. "First day awake and you carry on like that? And what happened to not liking that kind of language?"

"Extenuating circumstances," she said, trying to compose herself as best she could. Silently she chided herself for losing control like that. "Now, can you explain these?" She showed him the berries she had collected from where they had found him.

"They're berries," Seleneo observed.

"Yes they are," said Luna. "Specifically, they're belladonna berries. Madame Pomfrey said you ingested enough of these to kill a normal Muggle adult."

"Good thing this place is crawling with wizards," Seleneo said, attempting to lighten the mood with humor.

"Very funny," she said, not at all impressed. "What were you thinking, eating these? You know they're poisonous."

"I didn't realize they were there," said Seleneo. "I was eating blueberries, and the next thing I remember you were in here cussing at me."

"Sorry," Luna said sheepishly. "I just…I thought you had done it on purpose and I couldn't understand why. I've been worried about you."

"No," said Seleneo. "Like you said, I know they're poisonous. I wouldn't have eaten those if I'd known. Why would you think I'd have done that on purpose though?"

"I honestly don't know," she admitted. "You've just been acting so odd ever since we came back from break, you lied to us about your plans for Christmas, the not you gave me via Professor Lupin, and I also know that Professor Slughorn had some belladonna berries go missing, _and_ I know that you were down there the day before they went missing."

Seleneo sat quiet for a moment. "I can see why you would come to the conclusion you did," he said. "I didn't realize he had that kind of stuff out where anyone could get; I thought he kept the really poisonous things locked away in his office."

"What are you suggesting?" she asked.

"Well, I ate poisonous berries that I didn't know I had, which to me suggests that they were knowingly put there."

"You think somebody tried to _kill_ you?" Luna's head was spinning. She couldn't believe what he was saying, but he sounded sincere. Maybe he was, at least in his belief of what had happened. "Who would even want to do that?"

"I can only think of one person -"

"Neville wouldn't try to kill you," she said firmly. "Don't give me that look, I know that's who you were thinking of. But he wouldn't, I know it."

"I didn't say I thought he did," said Seleneo. "I doubt he's got the nerve to actually follow through with it. I'm just saying he's the only person I can think of right away who would want to. Unless, of course, I've made more enemies than I thought."

"Listen to me," she pleaded. "I know Neville much better than you. Maybe he does still have feelings for me in spite of what he says, and maybe is jealous of you, but he wouldn't do something like that."

"Can we," Seleneo groaned. "Can we just, like, talk about this some other time?"

"You're right," Luna said. "I'm sorry I went off you like that. I was just so worried."

"It's alright," he assured her. "I would've done the same thing in your shoes. Assuming they weren't strung up somewhere." He thought he saw the ghost of a grin on her face when he said this. Then with total sincerity he said, "Thank you for staying with me."

Electricity surged through him as she laced her fingers together with his. "Always," she said.


	22. Ch 22: Seleneo

_Hey folks. I hope, if you're reading this story, that you enjoy it like I do. This chapter was both easy and difficult to write; that might make sense once you read it. Reviews are appreciated, and as always, I don't own HP.  
><em>

* * *

><p><strong>Moonchild<strong>

**Chapter 22**

_Seleneo_

Seleneo spent the next several days in the hospital wing, even though he felt alright. Madame Pomfrey insisted that he stay, though, in case there was any lingering poison in his system. There was no use arguing with that woman, so he conceded. Luna continued to come visit him; these were more enjoyable now that he was conscious.

"You don't have to come here every day," he said one afternoon when Luna came to visit during a free period. "I'm a big boy."

"I know," she said dreamily, "but I want to. Ginny comes to visit Harry when he's in here, as he always is. It wouldn't be fair for me to not come to see you, would it?"

"Depends who you ask," Seleneo said. "I'm glad you do, though."

"So tell me," Luna said, "why have you been avoiding everyone?"

Seleneo was silent for a moment. "Tell you what," he finally said. "I should be out of here in a few days. Come with me to the clock face, and I'll tell you everything. Just be sure to wrap up. It's winter out there, you know."

* * *

><p>"I chose this spot because it was the first place we ever spoke," said Seleneo once Luna arrived at the clock face. "I thought it might mean something."<p>

Luna smiled as she sat down, more out of understanding than happiness. "Now tell me, Moon Boy, what's going on?"

"Alright," he said, and let out a puff of breath. "Here goes." He steeled himself for what he was about to say, then lowered his head and grinned in a joyless way. "Damn, I had all this rehearsed and it's so not about to go the way I'd planned."

"Just tell me," Luna said. "It's alright."

"Right." Seleneo prepared himself again. "Ok, well…Jesus…right, well you know how we're basically a thing. I mean, I know we've never really said anything about it, but…" His shoulders started to shake. "Anyhow…I don't want to think this, but I think you'd be better off with someone else."

"Why would you think that?"

"Well, like…" His legs were shaking, and chills ran up and down his spine. "I just…I've got nothing to offer."

"Don't say that," she pleaded. She reached out to touch him, but he withdrew into himself.

"It's true," he said, his voice muffled by his knees, into which his face was now buried. "You, you're…well, look at you! And you're so amazing. I've heard about all the stuff that happened the past few years. And you're smart, and you just…" He stopped for a moment, seized by dry sobs. _Jesus Christ, this went downhill fast_, he thought as he tried to gather himself enough to speak.

"What did you say?" Luna asked as she covered his hands with hers. "I can't hear you."

"I said 'I've got nothing to offer'," he repeated. "I'm just some hick that no sane person should want to be around."

"Well, they do call me Loony Lovegood," she said in an attempt to fight whatever it was that gripped him in this moment.

"I'm serious," he went on. "There's no reason why anyone should want to be around me. There's nothing about me worth having around. I thought maybe if I stayed away you'd forget about me and move on. That's also why I didn't go to Harry Potter's for Christmas; they needed a good Christmas after what happened last year. I would've ruined it, just like I ruin everything. And I especially didn't want to ruin it for you. That's the last thing I'd want. If you…" but whatever else he was about to say was lost to a horrible gargling noise in the back of his throat. The next several minutes were lost to him; he had been holding his eyes shut without realizing it, and the tears that had welled up had glued his eyelids together. Likewise, blood was now pounding in his ears, obscuring any sound that might have entered. All he could hear for the next few minutes after he finished talking was the blood in his ears and the ragged, gargling breaths that he drew. When he finally became aware of his surroundings again, he felt himself being cradled against Luna as best she could manage.

"Ssshh." She shushed him as she stroked his hair. "I don't know where these thoughts come from, but you are who you are, and that's good enough for me."

That was the last thing he heard before, despite where he was, he succumbed to sleep.


	23. Ch 23: Luna

_Hey everyone. It's nice to have this story going again, even if no one's reading (I hope you are). Once again, reviews are appreciated and as always, I don't own HP._

* * *

><p><strong>Moonchild<strong>

**Chapter 23**

_Luna_

After she got Seleneo back to Ravenclaw Tower that evening, she decided that she wouldn't mention again what had transpired between them. It had taken a lot, she reasoned, for him to even say what he did, and to affect him like that…it was better left alone.

The following Monday, Luna headed down to the dungeons for potions with the rest of the Ravenclaws and the Slytherins. Breakfast had been uncomfortable between her and Seleneo, but not like it had been at the beginning of term when he finally had decided to start showing himself again. She had been sure not to mention the events at the clock tower.

"I hope none of you are squeamish," said Professor Slughorn once he'd shut the door. "Today we will be discussing the magical properties of various insects." He opened a cabinet where they found myriad types of creepy-crawlies in jars. One Slytherin immediately fainted.

"Oh dear," Slughorn sighed. "Well, carry him off to the side, will you? We'll see what we can do when he comes to. In the meantime, if you would all come and get a jar, any kind you like. There should be plenty for everyone to have their own." Everyone's insect jar contained a wide assortment of bugs, and each had a number on the lid. Slughorn made a note of who had taken which jar, which then became that student's responsibility until the end of the unit on insects. Their task for the remainder of the class was to use their books to identify each insect in their jar.

After the bell rang, Luna hung back for a moment. "Professor," she said hesitantly.

"Yes, Ms. Lovegood," Slughorn answered amiably. "What can I help you with?"

"I wanted to ask you, when did those belladonna berries that you had go missing, exactly?"

"Let me think…" Slughorn sat at his desk and shuffled papers as he thought. "Well, I suppose it was about a week and a half ago, sometime in that area. Right around the time your friend Mr. Moonchild was taken to the hospital wing, I'd guess."

"That's what I thought," Luna said pensively. "Professor, I know I probably shouldn't ask, but Seleneo didn't take those berries, did he?"

"Not to my knowledge," said Slughorn. "He didn't even go near where I keep the poisonous plants, as far I know. You don't think he poisoned himself, do you?"

"No," said Luna, "but I also couldn't rule it out. I shouldn't ask this either, but which houses did you have for class the day they went missing?"

"Hmm…" Slughorn thought some more. "You're right, you really shouldn't be asking me that, and I shouldn't be telling you, but I understand your concern. If memory serves, I had Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs that day."

"Interesting," Luna said again. Her eyes widened a bit as her mind raced.

"You don't think someone from one of those houses poisoned him, do you?"

"I can't rule that out either," she said. "Thank you, Professor." Then she turned and left.

* * *

><p>"Luna," Seleneo said later that day in the Ravenclaw common room. They both had plenty of work to be doing, so they might as well do it together. That was Luna's thought on the matter, at least. She was glad Seleneo seemed to share it.<p>

"Yes?"

"What have you got going on tonight?"

"Probably just homework," she said. "Why, is there something I should know about?"

"I think there is," he said. The way he said it brought back the memory of that night on the Astronomy tower. "Something I wanted to show you down by the lake later. If you have time, I mean. Or if you even want to."

"Of course," she said. She couldn't help but be excited, but she played it nonchalant just like he did.

"Something else," he went on. "Completely unrelated, have you ever heard of a band called Nightwish?"

"No," she answered. The name intrigued her, though. "Who are they?"

"Well, they're sort of like The Weird Sisters," he explained, "except…alright, so they're not at all like The Weird Sisters. At their very basic, they're a metal band, but they aren't like what you would expect out of a metal band because, for one thing, they've got a woman singer, and they also use an orchestra on their albums in addition to the guitars and all that."

"Sounds interesting," Luna said, and she was serious. "Why do they do that?"

"Their leader, Tuomas Holopainen – I guess I should mention they're Finnish, also – is a huge fan of film music, and he also has the attitude that the song is always more important than the genre. I have to say, I agree with him. I can copy you one of their albums, if you want."

"I'd like that." She gave him that familiar smile that looked less like happiness and more like understanding.

"So…" he said over the scratching of quills. "We good?"

"I've been waiting for you," she said, her grin spread. "Of course."

* * *

><p>As Luna walked down the stairs to the entrance hall, she wondered what on Earth it was that Seleneo wanted to show her <em>outside<em> at _night_ at the end of _January_. She would much rather have stayed inside, but curiosity had overcome her, and she wanted to spend time with again like they used to, besides.

The grounds were covered in snow, and the powder that silently fell glistened in the light of the full moon like tiny diamonds. She could see the black mass of the lake down below, but there was no sign of Seleneo. As she walked, something peculiar happened. She could hear a faint music, growing louder and louder. It seemed to emanate from everything around her, and she was certain that she was the only one who could hear it. She reached the lake, and waited. Surely Seleneo would be here soon.

Arrive he did, and he certainly knew how to make an entrance. Before she knew what was happening, a series of pounding footsteps sounded behind her. She turned her head as a spray of snow was thrown towards her face, and when she turned back she found Seleneo mounted on one of Hagrid's pegasi.

"Are you ready?"

"Seleneo, what -"

"Are you ready?" he repeated.

"Yes," she said breathlessly, and she took his hand.

"You need to be in front," said Seleneo, as he helped her mount the Pegasus. "It's safer with your knees tucked under the wing joint." She did as instructed, the music she heard becoming louder all the while.

"Do you hear that?" she asked him.

"Of course," he said. "I planned it. Now, hold on!" He kicked and spurred the Pegasus to action. It darted forward, and soon they were off the ground. Then she heard the voice that entered over the music:

"_Enchantress came to me and said:__  
><em>_Meet me at the lake tonight __I hummed this song to the white__  
><em>

_Through the shroud of snow I saw__  
><em>_Paradise__  
><em>_Peace__  
><em>_No more lies._

_Crestfallen soul__  
><em>_Rest for this night__  
><em>_Love is here__  
><em>_Right here under my wings._

_I dream of wolves with them I run__  
><em>_For me she lengthened the night__  
><em>_I am home__  
><em>_I am in peace._

_Crestfallen soul__  
><em>_Rest for this night__  
><em>_Love is here__  
><em>_Right here under my wings."*_

* * *

><p><em>*I also don't own this song. That was "White Night Fantasy", by Nightwish. I'd also like to say, even though I know they aren't reading this, to wish Tuomas, Emppu, Marco, and Jukka the best as they begin the next chapter of their story with Floor Jansen and Troy Donockley!<em>


End file.
